Living for the Moment: Book 4
by silvermoony77
Summary: Back for her fourth year at Hogwarts, Alex is faced with more than she ever imagined: an unusual teacher with a strange paranoia, a new and unexpected friend, and a dangerous tournament that must ultimately end in tragedy. Everything is about to change.
1. Prologue

_Summary: Back for her fourth year at Hogwarts, Alex is faced with more than she ever imagined: an unusual teacher with a strange paranoia, a new and unexpected friend, and a dangerous tournament that must ultimately end in tragedy. Everything is about to change._

_The Tri-Wizard Tournament has returned from many years of inactivity. With it comes not only two new schools, but also mystery and turmoil. Alexandria Ratcliff has been forced to keep her true identity a secret, but secrets are finding a way of coming out this year. Feelings are revealed, identities are made known, and Alex must try to stand courageous in the face of the greatest evil the world has ever known. Will her friends be beside her, or will emotions cause the Golden Quartet to fall apart?_

_Disclaimer: Yup, you're eyes are correct. The author of this is not J.K Rowling but I, silvermoony77. Therefore, I only own Alex and anything you don't know from the Harry Potter series._

_Warnings: This is an AU story. Therefore, there is stuff in here that is not in canon. Most of it is, but not all of it. Ye be warned. Rated T for language, intense scenarios, and character death. Relax, you already know who's going to die. Yes, just him. I promise._

Prologue

It was a small room with a fire burning, but the place still seemed dreary and forlorn. A small man, who looked as if he was much larger before he lost weight, was standing by a high-backed chair, quivering in fear.

"Master, please," he said, positively terrified, "I will do better next time, I promise."

"Now, now Wormtail," a high, cold voice said with a chuckle that was anything but merry, "If I didn't apply discipline on my followers, they would not listen to me."

"But My Lord," the man named Wormtail said squeakily, "I have been of great service to you. I gave you Bertha Jorkins and I have helped you gain the strength you have now."

"You have, you most certainly have," the frosty voice said, "But you have failed to get me the boy, I cannot return without Harry Potter."

"But, we could use another boy," Wormtail said, "It would be easier and then you could kill Harry Potter while at your full power."

"If I were to use another," the voice said, "I would not be able to touch him without causing myself harm. Is that what you want Wormtail? Do you want your master to suffer anymore than he already has?"

"No, of course not Master," said Wormtail, petrified at the thought of his master thinking that.

"Then you will get me the boy and bring him to me. If you cannot get to him, at least get the girl. Yes, Alex Ratcliff will suffice if necessary. I would prefer both of them, but I do not expect much from you, Wormtail. I have decided to have my most trusted servant get to the one you miss."

"But My Lord," Wormtail said, a little put out, "I thought I was your most trusted servant."

"In some cases, you are Wormtail. You are the only one I trust to milk Nagini."

There was a slithering on the floor and a huge snake crept into the room and wrapped itself around the chair.

"Turn me away from the fire, Wormtail," the voice said, "And start milking Nagini."

The man turned the chair around and an ugly form appeared. Miles away, two young teenagers, Harry Potter and Alex Ratcliff woke with a start, clutching their scars, Harry's on his forehead, and Alex's on her right arm.

_Author's Note: Since this is so short, I'm posting the next chapter with it. Enjoy!_


	2. Chapter 1 Tangos and Tickets

_Author's Note: Still not J.K Rowling. If I was, I would be rich and famous. Sadly, I am none of those things._

Chapter 1 Tangos and Tickets

Alex let out a shout and awoke, clutching tightly to the scar on her right arm. It felt as though someone had taken a hot branding iron and put it to her arm. For several minutes, Alex sat there until the pain died away. The girl stood up shakily, crept across the hall quietly so as not to wake her guardian, and went to the bathroom.

Alex Ratcliff was a tall, skinny, almost-fourteen-year-old girl. Although she didn't acknowledge it, she was very pretty, with her long, thick black hair, tan skin, and stormy grey eyes. She was told by all that she looked exactly like her mother, except for her eyes. Nobody ever told her where she got them from.

But last year, Alex learned the truth. Her mother, Alana, hadn't been married to David Ratcliff, but to Sirius Black, a man convicted of murdering at least thirteen people with a single curse. Alex knew better than to believe that story. Sirius was framed by his old school friend, Peter Pettigrew, a man who used his animagus skills to live as a rat for the last twelve years. She and her friends had heard the story while in the Shrieking Shack the end of last year.

Just when Alex thought she was going to have a father, it was almost snatched from her grasp. Sirius had been captured by the dementors and would have had his soul sucked out if not for the quick thinking of Dumbledore and Hermione's Time Turner. Harry and Hermione traveled back in time to rescue her father and Alex hadn't seen him since. They had been sending letters to each other frequently, but he could never tell her where in the world he was, in case someone intercepted the owl.

Sighing, Alex splashed some cold water on her face and went back to her room. Closing the door silently, she turned on the light, waking her midnight black owl, Monty.

_"Oi,"_ said Monty, looking at her with squinting eyes, _"I just got back from a hunt, can't an owl get some rest around here?"_

_"Sorry buddy,"_ said Alex as she sat down at her desk and pulled over a blank piece of parchment, trying to recall her dream.

She had been standing in a dusty room…Wormtail was there, Pettigrew's school nickname…and she remembered the cold voice that she only heard laughing when a dementor got too close to her. It was the voice of Voldemort. Shivering, she wondered why she would dream about him. They had mentioned Harry and herself, they were needed to complete something. Whatever that was, she wanted no part in it. Anything with Voldemort was bound to be evil.

How was she to explain this to her father without him worrying? If he thought she was in danger, he might leave the safety of wherever he was and come to find her. She couldn't have him captured, not when everybody thought he was a killer. Finally, she dipped her quill in the ink bottle and began writing.

_Dear Dad,_

_How are things with you? I got your last letter and I've never laughed so hard in my life! I can't believe the things you did at school! You would definitely give my friend Ron's brothers a run for their money. _

_I had the strangest dream last night. Wormtail was there with Voldemort and they were talking about Harry and I, something about needing us for something to be completed. Crazy, huh? I bet the Divination teacher, Professor Trelawney, would have fun trying to figure that dream out._

_Say hi to Buckbeak for me and I hope to hear from you really soon!_

_Your daughter,_

_Alex_

She read through it a few times, checking to make sure she didn't sound scared about the dream. Finally, she addressed the envelope "Dad" and opened Monty's cage.

_"Time to fly,"_ Alex whispered and tied the letter to her owl's leg, _"Give this to Dad, and make sure you're not followed. Tell me how he's doing when you come back."_

Monty nodded and took off, Alex watching until he disappeared into the light grey of the rising sun. Yawning, Alex turned off her light and climbed into bed, falling fast asleep.

…...

Alex's eyes fluttered open and she stretched. Looking at her alarm clock, she almost fell out of bed. It was one in the afternoon, her dance class had ended an hour ago! She had slept through her alarm! In a state of panic, Alex ran around her room, changing into regular clothes and rushing down the stairs to find her uncle reading the _Daily Prophet_, a popular wizard newspaper.

"Morning Alex!" her uncle said cheerfully as Alex dashed to the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of milk, "What's the rush?"

"I missed my dance lesson," said Alex as she got a bowl and cereal, "I must've slept through the alarm, I have to go down there and ask what I've missed."

"There was no alarm to sleep through," Uncle Monty said calmly.

Alex turned to Uncle Monty and stared. He was a medium sized man with thinning dark brown auburn hair and a smile that could brighten up any room. He had been her guardian since Alex's grandparents mysteriously died when she was five.

"What do you mean?"

"I heard you last night, no matter how quietly you tried to be," her uncle said, setting down his paper and looking at her with concern, "You gave a shout and I waited to see if you were awake or not."

"It was a dream," said Alex, mindlessly clutching her scar, "Just a regular nightmare, that's all."

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" her uncle asked, looking at her carefully.

"It…It was about Voldemort," said Alex, sitting down, "He and Pettigrew were talking, saying that they needed Harry and I for something. But it was just a dream, all in my head."

"Did it seem like a normal dream?" her uncle asked.

"Well…no, not really," admitted Alex, "It seemed so real, like I was actually there with them. And when Wormtail, Pettigrew by the way, turned Voldemort away from the fire, my scar burned. That's how I woke up, the pain was so bad."

"I see," said Uncle Monty, thinking about what his adopted niece had told him, "I don't know what to tell you Alex, but I'd keep an eye on your scar. If it hurts like that ever again, watch your back."

Alex nodded and said she was going down to the studio to see what she missed. She kissed her uncle's cheek and left. As she walked, she tried to not think about the dream so she hummed a tune as she went. Finally, she reached the studio and found her teacher, Miss Stacy. She told Miss Stacy that she had overslept by accident and the older lady said it was fine.

"Just don't let it happen again," she said, "We're getting closer to the show at the end of July and we need all the practices we can get. Listen Alex, I was wondering if you'd be interested in taking a different class this year for the show."

"What kind of class?" Alex asked with interest.

"Tango, we have a boy here, just about your age I think, and his dance partner broke her ankle last night. He's looking for another one and I suggested you. What do you say?"

"I've never done that before," said Alex, but her eyes were glowing with excitement, "But if he doesn't mind that, I'd love to do it!"

"Great," Miss Stacy said with a relieved grin, "He's actually across the street at the theater if you want to meet him and get started."

Alex nodded and left the studio, heading to the theater. It was the old-fashioned kind, the ones with the black overhang that had the names of the movies in white letters. It was now used for any of the village's theater productions and town meetings. Alex opened the doors of the theater and saw the place was empty.

"Hello?" she called, moving down the row and up to the stage. She got up and looked around, still not seeing anyone.

"Are you Alex?"

She spun around and saw a boy who came up to her shoulder. He had blonde hair with light brown eyes and was looking her up and down. This look made Alex very uncomfortable and she took a step back.

"Yeah, I am. Miss Stacy sent me over here. Are you the one who needs a dance partner?"

"Yes, my name's Rodger. Have you ever tangoed before?"

"I can honestly say I never had," Alex said with a shrug, "But I'm willing to learn."

"Let's get started then."

They spent the afternoon going over steps. It was very different from what Alex was used to. Not only did she have to worry about her steps, but those of her partner so that she didn't trample over his feet (which she did a few times in the beginning). Finally, they stopped for the day.

"Same time tomorrow?" Alex asked as she left.

"Yes, but the next time, bring heels you can dance in and a flowing skirt," Rodger said, "I'll also have a fan for you too."

"I have to do all that in heels and a skirt, with a fan?" Alex asked, "This is not going to turn out good."

"By the end of July, you'll have it down," said Rodger and he left.

Alex reached her house and went inside. The place was eerily quiet and Alex nervously entered the kitchen, finding it deserted. There was a note on the table saying that her uncle had left for an emergency at work and wasn't sure when he'd be back. Alex sighed and started getting dinner ready. Her uncle had been working late a lot often.

Uncle Monty worked for the Magical Games and Sports of the Ministry of Magic. Until Alex got her letter, she was led to believe her guardian worked for a bank. Sure her uncle would work late some nights, but this had been happening almost the entire summer. She assumed it had to do with the upcoming Quidditch World Cup. It was being held in Britain this year so the Department of Magical Games and Sports was working hard to make it a great event. Alex just wished her guardian didn't have to work so often.

Alex finished her meal of pork chops and mashed potatoes and went to her room. Monty was sitting on her desk with a letter in front of him.

_"Your dad looks great,"_ the bird said happily, _"He's much healthier looking than last time."_

Alex opened the letter and sat on her bed to read it aloud:

"_Dearest Alex,_

_I am well and enjoying the weather here. I wish you were here with me, there are so many animals you could talk to. About this dream, have you had any like these before? Harry wrote to me as well and he seemed to have the same one you did. The question is how is it that you both have dreams about Voldemort and Wormtail? Is this somehow connected? I'll see you soon Alex, Buckbeak says hello back, and tell your uncle he should be receiving my part in a day or two._

_All my love,_

_Your father_"

Alex wondered about whether or not she should call Harry when she heard the door unlock from downstairs and ran to the steps. Her uncle was wearing his work robes and looked up quickly when he heard her coming.

"Hello Alex," he said, putting his hands behind his back, "Have you written to your father lately?"

"I just got a letter from him," said Alex, coming down the steps, "I told him about my dream, he said Harry had one very similar to mine. Oh, he told me to tell you that you should be receiving his part in a day or two. I don't know if that's significant but I'm just the messenger."

"Thank you Alex," her uncle said with a smile and he went to eat his dinner.

Alex went back upstairs and got ready for bed. As she climbed into her bed, she pulled out two small books. One was her diary, which she recorded in everyday without fail, and the other was her mother's old school diary. Alex had gotten it as a Christmas present from her father, before she knew the truth. As Alex read about her mother's last day as a third year, her eyes closed and she fell asleep.

…...

Alex was walking home from a very intense tango lesson with Rodger. She was sore in places she didn't even know existed, but inside she was happy. At the end of the practice, Rodger asked if she wanted to see a movie with him tomorrow night. This was her first date ever with a guy and she had said yes, as long as Erin and her "boyfriend" came along too. Erin had told Alex of a guy she met in her school that she really liked, but he just wanted to be friends. They did stuff together, like go see movies, but they weren't technically dating. Anyway, Alex didn't want to go out with a guy by herself yet. She was afraid she would say something stupid.

When Alex walked in, she saw her uncle standing at the kitchen door with a huge smile, similar to the one he had when Alex found out she was a witch.

"I know that look, Uncle Monty," Alex said with an arched eyebrow, "Is there some other secret that you haven't told me for the past thirteen years that I should know about?"

"No, nothing like that. What do you think about getting one of your birthday gifts early this year?" her uncle asked.

"All right," said Alex slowly and she entered the room.

There was an envelope at her place and she opened it. The card had a wizard's hat on the front that was patched up pretty bad and Alex was reminded of the Sorting Hat. But when she opened the card, a pair of tickets fell onto the table and she picked them up to read it.

"These are box seats to the World Cup," said Alex and she turned to her uncle, a smile breaking onto her face, "Are you serious?"

"Actually, _I_ am."

Alex spun around and gasped. Laughing, she ran to her father, who was standing a dark corner of the kitchen, unseen when Alex entered.

"Dad!" Alex cried, hugging her father tightly, "What are you doing here?"

"You didn't expect me to miss my daughter's birthday after all the ones I did before, did you?" Sirius Black asked with a grin, "Your uncle and I each pitched in to buy tickets to the Cup."

Alex was too shocked to speak; this was too much. She was going to the most anticipated games of Quidditch ever and her father was here again. All Alex could do was hug her father and her uncle and thank them again and again.

"I have to tell my friends!" said Alex.

"They know, or will know in a month," said Uncle Monty, "Arthur Weasley managed to get the seats right next to ours for free because he helped the son of Ludo Bagman get out of some trouble a few years ago. Bagman's the man who's running this so of course he was able to get Arthur tickets. All your friends will be there."

That evening, the three spent the time talking about Quidditch until Alex was sent to bed by her father. He turned into a dog and slept in his old spot at the end of the bed. Alex went to sleep with a smile on her face.

_Author's Note: I'm baaaaack! Did you miss me? ;) Welcome to the fourth book in the Alex Ratcliff/Black saga. I promise that there will be lots of fun in store for you all, as well as some mystery and adventure._

_Just to let you know now, I will be out of town until April 25. It is my spring break so I will be away somewhere awesome. You wanna know where? Drum roll please…The Harry Potter Theme Park! I know, I'm so excited, if you couldn't tell. :D So, since I will be away, I will not be able to update until I get back. However, I will try to do a double update for you all if I am coherent enough to remember. Tonight is my prom so it'll be late when I get back. Yeah, kind of a busy week. :P_

_Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this and will continue to the rest of the way. If you have any comments/questions/concerns/random thoughts, feel free to write them out in a review or PM. I will promise to answer you as soon as I come back._


	3. Chapter 2 A Secret Revealed

_Author's Note: Still, I own nothing of J.K Rowling's._

Chapter 2 A Secret Revealed

The next day, Sirius and Uncle Monty shooed Alex out of the house so they could prepare a little party for Alex.

"It's not everyday you turn fourteen," said Sirius, "Even if it is two months early."

Alex's birthday was the end of September, which meant the dance recital was only a week away. She had told her uncle she would be doing a new dance and had mentioned to him that her partner had asked her to see a movie with him the next night. She hadn't seen her father sleeping on the couch as a dog and, upon hearing this, he transformed and stood.

"I'm not letting you go unless I'm there," Sirius said.

"Dad," said Alex, "The Muggles think you're back in prison, if they see you they'll call the police and the Ministry will get involved."

"Then I'll be a dog," her father said, turning back into the large black mutt and wagged his tail.

Alex agreed under the condition that Sirius didn't try to bite anyone's legs off. She smiled, as she crossed the street, at the thought of her father in dog-form trying to bite Rodger's legs off.

After another grueling lesson, Alex went home and found the entire house full of small paper animals walking around. White birds where flying, a miniature panther was pacing, and Monty was chasing a mouse made of grey paper.

She moved to the kitchen but found the door closed and locked. Sirius poked his head and managed to slip his still-too-thin body out from the door.

"Your uncle is working on something in there," her father said, shaking his head, "He's checked that cookbook so many times, just to make sure he got the right amount of stuff in the food."

"Well he knows he's not the best cook," said Alex, shaking her head, "Are these animals part of the birthday celebration?"

"Damn," her father cursed quietly, "The animals escaped again! I told Elian we should have put a lock on their container. Well…happy birthday Alex."

Sirius walked his daughter over to the couch where a wooden box sat on the coffee table. A few stray animals were inside, walking around in circles or running up against the walls of the box.

"Elian and I spent all day making the animals out of paper and charmed them to move about," explained Sirius as Alex ran her fingers over the box, "Think of it as your own private zoo, without the annoyance of the animals chattering around you."

Alex laughed and went to hug her father, but stopped abruptly when she heard the back door being opened and a voice call in.

"Hello? Alex, it's Erin! Where are you?"

"Quick!" said Alex, running and picking up the tiny animals and handing them to her father along with the box, "Take these upstairs and stay there! Erin doesn't know anything about magic!"

Her father had just run up the stairs when Erin came into the living room and saw Alex sitting on the couch, her heart pounding.

"What's up?" her friend asked, sitting down next to her with a grin, "You excited for your date tomorrow?"

"It's not a date," said Alex with a wave of her hand, "We're just dance partners, nothing more."

"I came over to see if you needed help picking out an outfit for tomorrow," Erin said, standing up and helping Alex too, "Let's go up to your room and see the options!"

She raced up the stairs, Alex following at her heels. Just as Erin was about to turn the door knob, Alex slipped in front of her, blocking the way.

"Erin, you don't want to come into my room," said Alex, loud enough so her father might have time to hide all evidence of magic from her room, "It's a total mess, there's stuff everywhere."

"Oh come on, Alex," said Erin laughing, "You've seen my room. It looks like a hurricane ran through followed by a twister! I'm sure yours is nothing compared to mine."

Erin opened the door and Alex found a large black dog on her bed, her trunk closed, and her books gone. She let out a sigh of relief and fell onto her bed, feeling something hard underneath. Pulled the blankets away, she saw her textbooks under her sheets.

"Hey, you found Orion!" Erin said and hugged the big dog, who licked her face, "You never told me!"

"He just came last night," said Alex, "Somehow, he found his way back."

"That's great," said Erin, patting Orion on the head and walking to the closet, "Now, let's see what we're working with."

Orion sprung off the bed and stood between the closet and Erin, growling slightly. Erin backed away and Alex realized that, in his haste, her father must have thrown everything into her closet. Alex had to make a choice, either lie yet again to Erin, figuring out an excuse to get her out of the house and maybe causing Erin to be hurt, or tell the truth and risk being sent to jail.

"What's up with Orion?" Erin asked, looking at Orion to Alex, "He doesn't have rabies, does he? I think he's delusional!"

"No, he's perfectly fine," said Alex quietly. She went over to the dog and kneeled down by him, scratching his ears absentmindedly. Finally, she made up her mind and took a deep breath. "Erin, I need to tell you something, something that you need to promise not to say a word about ever, not even to your parents. I need you to swear to me, here and now, whatever is said in this room stays in this room."

"Of course Alex," said Erin, sitting in Alex's desk chair, "You know you can trust me."

"But this is so much different," said Alex, standing up and pacing, her entire body shaking slightly, "If you tell people, not only will I be sent to jail, but an entire group of people will be forced to come out of hiding and the world will be thrown into total chaos. I'm not trying to be all melodramatic, but I need you to realize how serious I am."

Erin nodded, looking confused but knew Alex wouldn't be like this if it wasn't extremely important. Alex let out a deep breath and started talking, still pacing and shaking more than ever.

"Do you remember when I first came here, when that one teacher blew up like a balloon after she refused to give me a point on one of her tests?" Erin again nodded. "It was because of me, I was so angry at her that I wished I could see her blow up. I'm not a normal person like you and the others around here. The school I go to is for people like me. Hermione, all those people you met at King's Cross, they're just like me. They can make stuff happen with a wave of their wand. What I'm trying to say is…I'm a witch."

There was silence. Orion let out a whimper and jumped onto Alex's bed. Erin's face was unreadable.

"This isn't funny, Alex," Erin said, sounding hurt and angry, "You go on about how important this is and how I can't tell a soul and you were just pulling my leg. I thought we were friends. You really had me frightened, Alex!"

"We are friends, Erin," said Alex, "That's why I'm telling you this. I'm sick and tired of having to lie to you about who I am! I'm a witch, my mother was one, and my aunt was one. I go to a school called Hogwarts, I've seen dragons, and ridden a hippogriff, and-"

"Stop it Alex," snapped Erin angrily, standing up, "Just cut it out, all right? This isn't funny, it's plain stupid and horrible. I'm going home and don't expect me to walk back from dance with you anymore! And, you can go on your little date all by yourself!"

Alex watched helplessly as Erin picked up her bag and stormed out of the room, slamming the back door. Alex sat on her bed, put her books on the floor, pulled the covers around her, and cried into her pillow. She had thought Erin would have believed her. They could have done so many great things after she was done school and could do magic without having the Ministry swooping down on her. Now, Erin wasn't going to talk to her because she thought Alex was lying. They had never fought before, what if they never made up?

Orion say by Alex's bedside and licked her fingers. Alex wiped her tears and Orion turned into Sirius.

"Do you think I did the right thing, telling Erin about me being a witch?" sniffed Alex.

"If you wanted to continue being friends, I think you couldn't have done better," her father said, sitting next to his daughter, "How could you two have been close when half your life was a secret to the other? And this way, you can know if she's a good friend. If she doesn't like you for the whole you, the real you, then she's not a good friend."

Alex nodded and heard Uncle Monty pretending to play a large fanfare and shouting for Alex to come and have her early-birthday dinner. After making sure she looked like she hadn't been crying, Alex went downstairs and tried to act like she was excited when really, she felt horrid.

…...

That whole week, Alex and Erin never spoke to each other. The other girls in the class noticed this and kept asking them what was wrong. Alex told them they had a fight and she wasn't sure what would happen. Something else was eating away at her. What if Erin, in her anger, told someone about her being a witch? Alex hoped with all her heart that no one would believe such a story or that Erin would tell it as though Alex was just pretending as a joke.

Alex and Rodger's date never happened because Rodger got sick with a really bad cold. They re-scheduled it for the following Friday, just a day away. That Sunday afterwards, Alex would be leaving to go to the Quidditch match and would stay with the Weasley's until the start of term. She wanted to talk to Erin before she left, but she didn't get the chance until everyone left but her. Alex stayed to go over a few steps before the recital that night.

As Alex was stretching, the door opened and Erin walked in, stopping dead in her tracts as soon as she saw Alex.

"I left my shoes in here," she said jerkily.

Alex nodded and watched as her friend crossed the room, picked up her shoes, and turned to leave.

"Erin," Alex said pleadingly, "Talk to me, please."

"Not until you apologize," Erin said curtly.

"I can't Erin because there's nothing to apologize for," said Alex, but continued quickly when Erin put her hand on the door, "I told you the truth, every word I said, because I wanted you to know why I couldn't go to school with you these last three years, why all my friends, except those raised like Muggles, have no idea about computers or even telephones. If you still don't believe me, then I'm really sorry."

Erin's hand was still on the doorknob when she closed it shut, locked it, and closed the blinds on the window. She went over to Alex and looked at her carefully, as though expecting something to be different.

"Can you really do magic?" Erin asked. Alex looked at her friend, but she still seemed suspicious.

"Not outside of school until I become of age," said Alex, "But if you come to my house, I can show you all my school books and my wand. That is, if you really think I'm what I say I am."

"All I have to say is…your secret's safe with me."

Alex grinned and hugged Erin tightly, so happy that she believed her.

"Oh Erin, just wait until I can do magic outside of school! I can show you all this really cool stuff, like how to change animals into goblets and how to make things fly."

Erin and Alex went back to Alex's house and got ready for the show. Erin had brought her costume with her because she was originally going to change at the studio and walk over. Once they were all set, Uncle Monty drove them to the theater, Orion in the front seat with his head sticking out the window.

The two girls went back stage and the show began. Once Alex's first dance was done, she quickly changed into her tango costume and found Rodger waiting on the side of the stage. The curtain closed and the two of them walked out onto separate sides of the stage. The curtains opened and the song came on.

Everything was going great until they came together and Rodger was holding her tightly.

"Has anyone ever told you that you have a great body?" he whispered huskily.

Alex was totally disgusted. She pushed him away hard, so he fell onto the ground and took her final pose for the end of the song. Everyone clapped and a group of girls were shouting, "Girl power!" again and again. Alex found her uncle and dog in the audience and they were cheering loudly.

Alex bowed and walked off the stage, cutting through a crowd of nervously-talking first timers. She found Erin in street clothes waiting for her by the changing rooms.

"Was that supposed to happen?" Erin asked, talking about Alex pushing Rodger to the ground.

"Nope, not at all," said Alex and saw Rodger walking toward them, "Don't you dare talk like to me like that again, you dirty little buzzard!" she said angrily, "And by the way, I'm going to spend my Friday night with my real friend."

Rodger just gave a knowing smile and shook his head, saying, "Whatever you say sugar. You'll be back for me, I know it."

Alex took a step toward him and he ran off quickly. She and Erin found Uncle Monty and Orion waiting for them in the lobby. They went back home and Erin ended up sleeping over. As they lay awake, Alex decided to let Erin know one last secret.

"Hey Erin, you still up?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"I've got one other thing to tell you," said Alex. She turned to Orion and said, "It's okay, I think she believes now."

Orion got up and hopped off the bed. Before Erin could blink, he had changed into a man and was standing awkwardly with his hands in his robes. Erin let out a shout and stood up in alarm.

"You're…You're the man on T.V, they said you were captured! How did you-?"

"Erin," said Alex, "This is my dad. He's Sirius Black, but he never killed those people. He was set up by his old friend and everyone thought they saw Sirius murdering people."

Erin opened her mouth several times, but closed it without saying anything. Finally, she shrugged.

"This is going to take some getting used to," she said simply and climbed into the extra bed while Alex went back into hers. Sirius changed back into a dog and curled up next to Erin. Soon, all three of them were fast asleep.

_Author's Note: Guess what? Another double update! Since I'm leaving you for a week, I thought you all deserved it. I'd like to dedicate this double update to one of my loyal reviewers, _Aileen Autarkeia_. Consider this my birthday gift to you. :D_


	4. Chapter 3 A Day in the Life of a Weasley

_Author's Note: All I own is Alex and the stuff you don't recognize. There, I said it. Now you can't sue me._

Chapter 3 A Day in the Life of a Weasley

The weekend flew by in a blur and soon, Uncle Monty was driving Alex to Harry's house. They had arranged for the two of them to meet the Weasley's there so Alex didn't have to travel as far. Sirius had left the night before because he didn't like staying in one place for too long. Erin promised to give Rodger a good beating while Alex was away at school.

They pulled up to the neat row of homes and found Number Four with much difficulty, seeing as all the houses looked the same. Uncle Monty was running late so he just dropped her off and left, leaving Alex to go up to the house alone. She knocked, but there was no answer. She was about to knock again when a large, beefy man opened the door and stared at Alex with distaste.

"We're not interested in whatever you're selling," he said and was about to shut the door in her face, but Alex put out a hand to keep it open.

"I'm not selling anything," she said, setting down her owl cage on her trunk, "My name's Alex Ratcliff, I go to school with Harry. I was supposed to come here to meet up with some of our other friends."

The man, who Alex remembered was Harry's uncle, mumbled something and left the door open, going off somewhere. Alex decided to enter and put her trunk by the door, but keeping Monty with her. She managed to find her way to the living room where an extremely large boy about her age was sitting with his hands over his butt. Alex looked at him with raised eyebrows and sat in a chair far away from him. The sound of shouting reached her ears, a little muffled by the wall next her.

"…allowing someone like _her_ to come into our home and not even telling us?" roared a man's voice Alex thought must have been Harry's uncle's.

"She's not diseased you know," Harry retorted loudly, "And she does happen to have a name!"

"I don't care if her name's Susan! All I care about is that she's in our house! You're going to tell you she needs to leave right now…go on!"

A door opened and Harry entered, closely followed by his uncle, who was very red in the face.

"Hi Alex," Harry said, "My uncle's being a rude pig and wants you to get out of his house."

"Oh," said Alex as Harry's uncle gave him a slap on the back of his head, "Well, my uncle's at work, Mister…"

"Dursley."

"…Mr. Dursley, so he can't come and get me for another hour or so." In truth, Uncle Monty could have been there in five minutes, but Alex knew that she would have no other way to get to the match.

So the Dursley's had no choice but to let Alex stay, although making it perfectly clear that she could not have dinner with them, no matter what time the Weasley's came. Alex was forced to have six eyes watch her every move until finally, she saw a piano.

"May I?" she asked, lifting up the dusty covering and sitting down, not caring if they had nodded or shook their heads. She began tinkering around with the keys, soon discovering the piano was seriously out of tune. She played a few Minuets she had to recall from the far reaches of her memory as well as the Fur Elise. It was just as she played the final chord with a loud sound caused the entire room to jump in alarm and look towards the boarded up fireplace, where they could hear voices.

"It's blocked up!" the familiar voice of Mr. Weasley said loudly, "George, go back and tell Fred and Ron not to come!"

"Too late!" came Fred's voice, resulting in a loud string of curses from Ron.

"Maybe they can hear us. Harry! Are you there?" Mr. Weasley shouted.

"We're here Mr. Weasley!" shouted Alex and Harry together, running to the fireplace.

"It's boarded up," said Alex loudly, "That's why you can't get through!"

"Really, why is that?" asked Ron curiously.

"Maybe because they don't use it, Ron," said one of the twins (it was hard to figure out which), sounding like his face was smashed up against something.

"It's electric," said Harry, trying not to laugh but being unsuccessful.

"Is it really?" asked Mr. Weasley with excitement. He loved anything having to do with electricity. "Well, stand back everyone."

Mr. Dursley strode forward angrily as Alex and Harry ran back. There was a loud _BANG_ and the living room was covered in smoke and bits of debris. A man with extremely red hair stepped out of the ruined fireplace followed by three boys, all having the same colored hair.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry," said Mr. Weasley, looking around at the mess, "I didn't realize this would cause such destruction. I can fix it in a second."

Mr. Weasley pulled out his wand, causing all the Dursley's to scatter, hiding behind chairs. Mr. Weasley ignored them and waved his wand, the fireplace restored. He then turned to Harry and Alex and gave them a wink.

"All right then everyone, we need to hurry. I managed to hook your fireplace up with the Floo Network for a couple of hours so we need to move."

"We'll take the trunks," said the Weasley twins, Fred and George, together. As they were picking them up, a piece of candy wrapped in bright paper fell out. Alex was about to tell Fred this, but he shook his head slightly and Alex frowned but was silent. She watched as the twins stepped into the fire Mr. Weasley had conjured, shouted, "The Burrow!", and were whisked away. It was Ron's turn next and then Harry and Alex's.

"Thank you for having me," said Alex with a smile. She received none in return so she waved and walked near the fireplace, Harry following.

"Harry," said Mr. Weasley, "Aren't you going to say good-bye to your aunt and uncle?"

"Bye, see you next summer," said Harry and was about to go into the flames when Mr. Weasley held him back, looking curiously at the Dursley's.

"You aren't going to see your nephew until the end of the school year," the man said, frowning, "And you haven't said good-bye to him?"

"Good-bye then, boy," Mr. Dursley said curtly. Mr. Weasley let go of Harry and he stepped into the fireplace, Alex after him. When she turned to face the room, a gruesome sight met her eyes. Harry's cousin was on the ground with something large and purple hanging out of his mouth. It took Alex a few seconds for her to realize it was his tongue. Mr. Weasley shouted for them to go on and he pulled out his wand. As Alex and Harry shouted their destination, Mr. Weasley was trying to tell the Dursley's he could help while dodging flying objects thrown by Mr. Dursley. Alex went spinning and she shut her eyes tightly, grabbing Harry's arm just as tight. Finally, they slowed down and came to a stop, the two staggering out of the fireplace and ran into the Weasley twins.

"Did he eat it?" Fred asked excitedly.

"Who ate what?" Alex asked, holding her head as the room spun.

"Did Harry's cousin-" said Fred.

"-eat the candy we dropped?" finished George.

"Well, Dudley's tongue swelled up and turned purple," said Harry.

The twins high-fived each other and began asking questions like about how long the tongue was and what was the exact color, while Ron tried not to laugh too loud. Just then, Mr. Weasley appeared and he was very angry.

"You two," he snapped at Fred and George, "How could you have fed that poor Muggle boy one of those sweets? Haven't I taught you anything about respecting Muggles because they can't defend themselves against magic?"

"We needed a guinea pig," said Fred, "And Harry's told us how horrid his cousin is to him, so we thought it was time he had a taste of his own potion."

"Actually Fred, we need another guinea pig, the last one ran off last night," muttered George quietly.

"Regardless of how terrible he is," Mr. Weasley continued, "What you did was very childish. Just wait until I tell your mother what happened!"

"Tell me what?"

Everyone spun around and saw little Mrs. Weasley standing in the doorway. She was a plump woman who had a warm smile, which was now replaced with a frown that made Alex feel like she shouldn't be there. Very awkwardly, both Alex and Harry backed away from the Weasley family. Mrs. Weasley saw this motion and her frown disappeared in an instant, replaced with her motherly smile.

"Alex and Harry, it's so good to see you two! Harry, you look like a rail! Don't those Muggles feed you anything? Alex, is that really you, my dear? My goodness, you are turning into such a beauty! I'm surprised all the boys haven't started going after you yet."

Alex felt her face flush as she hugged Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley was how she always pictured a mother, a mixture of warmth and loving, but still able to run a tight ship. Once she had greeted the newcomers, Mrs. Weasley frowned again at her family.

"Now, what did you want to tell me Arthur?" she asked.

Ron slipped away from the rest of his family and led the others up the stairs. As they climbed, Alex tried to block out the shouts of Mrs. Weasley to her twins. She knew that Mr. Weasley never meant to tell his wife what happened, he just said that to scare his sons.

"Are Fred and George going to be all right?" asked Alex as they climbed.

"They get into trouble a lot," said Ron, stopping to rest, "But Mum received an owl from school talking about them selling stuff in school. She went into their room and found their own little business. I mean, Fred and George spent time in their room a lot and we would hear explosions and stuff, but we never imagined they were making stuff to sell."

"Well," said Alex as they resumed the trek, "Why wouldn't Mrs. Weasley mind them starting their own business? I could picture them doing that easily! They have the charisma and are very business-savvy."

"Mum wants them to go into the Ministry like dad and Percy," said Ron, "They didn't get as many O.W.L's as she expected from them."

Alex remembered seeing everyone last year studying hard for those exams. The fifth years took them to help them prepare for what they wanted to do after school.

"Fred, George, and Mum started going at it," Ron said with a shudder, "They told Mum that they didn't want to go into the Ministry, they wanted to open a joke shop. Mum doesn't think that's a career and took away all their inventions. I guess she didn't get everything."

Alex was about to open her mouth when a door on the stairway opened and Percy Weasley poked his head out. Percy had left Hogwarts last year, a tall man with glasses and the Weasley red hair. He was very devoted to the rules back at Hogwarts and Alex had a feeling he hadn't changed since she last saw him.

"Could you all be a little quieter?" Percy asked in an annoyingly superior voice, "Some of us have reports to write for their jobs."

"Nice to see you too, Percy. How have you been?" said Alex sarcastically. She and Percy never talked much, but he was her least favorite of the Weasley brothers. They were on opposites of the spectrum, Alex believing rules were meant to be broken while Percy believed that rules were law and meant to be followed exactly as they were written.

"I'm sorry," Percy said, but not sincerely, "I haven't slept well and my manners are slipping. What is Mum yelling about now?"

"Fred and George fed a candy to Harry's cousin," said Ron bitterly. He and Percy never got along, especially after their second year when Percy found Ron in the girl's bathroom.

"Honestly, those two need to grow up and learn that life's not all fun and pranks," Percy said with a sigh, as though he were much older than his brothers and knew better than they did.

"Well Percy," said Alex coolly, "Someone has to keep the spirits up in this world. What's life without a few laughs?"

Percy got all huffy and shut the door. They continued up the stairs, Ron apologizing that they had to go far up.

"Alex'll be in Ginny's room, which isn't too much farther, but Harry and I'll have to sleep in the attic. Fred and George will be in my room so Charlie and Bill can have their room." He seemed embarrassed by this but Alex didn't mind at all. Her house was so big for two people that she was enjoying all the commotion and moving around.

The boys left Alex at Ginny's room where she found her trunk at the end of one of the cots. Ginny's room was like walking into a Gryffindor cave. The room had red and gold stripes on the walls, mostly covered by posters of wizarding music groups Alex had never heard of. There were many posters of England's Quidditch team and one man with a broken nose who was from Bulgaria. Behind Ginny's bed was one of the banners Alex had helped the Gryffindor house make for the Quidditch Cup game last year.

"Hi Ginny, what's up?" Alex asked, sitting down on the cot and smiling.

"Nothing much," the only Weasley girl said. Ginny was the youngest in the family and usually ended up with her older brothers' clothes and stuff. Right now, she was wearing a large shirt with her house written in gold, curvy letters and a pair of baggy jeans.

"When's Hermione coming?" Alex asked. Hermione was her best friend and was the smartest witch in all of Hogwarts.

"Mum said not until later tonight," Ginny replied, "Do you think she's done yelling?"

Alex didn't need to ask who. She stuck her head out of the door and heard nothing except a door slamming and Percy shouting for silence.

"I think she's done," said Alex, "I heard a door slam so I think Fred and George are in their room, or Ron's room really."

They decided to go outside so Ginny could show Alex some of the Quidditch moves Ron had taught her earlier that summer. As they walked to the broom shed, Alex turned around and saw the Burrow for the first time.

It was an old house, just like everything else around the house. It looked like it used to be much smaller and had been added onto many times. Alex guessed some of the rooms were only staying attached on by magic. It was messy and Alex loved it.

"I love your house," sighed Alex to Ginny.

"Really? No one's ever said that to us before, you should tell Mum. It'll make her feel so much better."

Ginny handed Alex a broom and the two girls went off to a wide area of land. They kicked off and flew around, Alex showing Ginny techniques she had picked up when she had watched the Gryffindor team practice and played on the team. Ginny was a very good flyer and Alex hoped that she would get a spot on the team.

Finally, it was getting dark so the girls returned the brooms to the shed and went inside to help Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen. They found Hermione sitting at a table chopping carrots. Alex went over to her friend and practically choked her in a hug.

"All right Alex," said Mrs. Weasley laughing, "I think Hermione's turning purple. Wash your hands and help me with these potatoes."

Alex did as she was told and sat down with the rest of the girls and peeled potatoes as they traded summer stories. Ginny had just told them about how she and Ron had almost hit a helicopter with their Quaffle and Alex was roaring with laughter.

"So Alex, how's Orion?" Hermione asked. They had decided not to tell anyone about Sirius being Alex's father, especially since the Weasley's were a wizarding family and knew all about Sirius' apparent crimes. The news would affect them more.

"He's great actually," said Alex, "He's getting fatter which is great. He was so scrawny before."

"Didn't Orion run away?" asked Ginny. Alex's hand slipped and she cut her finger. Hermione ran to get a bandage while Alex recovered.

"Yes, he did. He's back though. He managed to find his way back, thank Merlin," said Alex, accepting the bandage from Hermione.

"Did you see any of Malfoy this time?" Hermione asked, "Or were you unfortunate in missing him this year?"

"Yes, I wasn't important enough for him to come to our block party," said Alex, hand over her heart and shaking her head in mock disappointment, "It was very saddening, I didn't sleep for a week."

Once they had finished with the potatoes, Mrs. Weasley had the girls get the utensils together and set them on the picnic tables outside.

"Bill and Charlie are setting them up right now," Mrs. Weasley said with a smile, "There's just too many of us to fit inside."

"I like to eat outdoors," said Alex as she carried a tray of forks, "That way I can hear the animals."

The three Hogwarts girls found a strange sight before them when they went out. Two tables seemed to be fighting each other in the air, controlled by two men in their twenties. Alex guessed these were the infamous Bill and Charlie Weasley she had heard so much about. They watched in amusement as one of the chairs lost a leg and landed on the ground with a loud thud. All of a sudden, a head appeared from on of the windows.

"Will you stop that racket already?" Percy shouted and slammed the shutters.

Laughing, the two oldest Weasleys lowered the tables and attached the leg. The girls set the tables with their help.

"Hi Ginny," one of them said. He was taller and had an earring with what looked like a dragon fang hanging from it. His Weasley hair was longer and pulled back in a ponytail. "What's Percy doing up in his room on a beautiful day like this?"

"He's writing some paper for his boss, Mr. Crouch," Ginny said shrugging, "Something about cauldron thickness."

"Yeah, because that's gonna help change the world," Alex said, rolling her eyes.

"Poor Perce," the other man said. He was more muscular than his brother and had quite a few scars on his arms, "I remember when I started Hogwarts before he did. He was all upset because I got to write essays and take exams while he was stuck at home."

"Now which one of you two is which?" the taller man asked, looking at Alex and Hermione.

"Wait, let me guess!" the other said and studied them carefully. He pointed to Alex and asked, "You're the animal lover, right?"

"Yeah, if by animal lover you mean that I enjoy Care of Magical Creatures class more than anyone else at Hogwarts. I'm Alex."

"Ron told me about you, he said you can talk to the animals. Was he just pulling my leg?"

"Um, no," said Alex, shifting uncomfortably. She didn't like talking about her ability with animals. It made her feel like an outcast.

"That's really cool, I wish I could do that. It would help me out with the dragons. I'm Charlie by the way, I helped you out three years ago with that dragon."

"And I'm Bill," the ponytail Weasley said, "My job isn't as cool as my younger brother's but I work at Gringott's. Although I must say, I deal with much more dangerous things than Charlie. Have you ever seen a goblin yell at his associate for turning in something late?"

Bill shuddered and Alex smiled. Both of them seemed very nice. They talked for a little while, Alex discussing dragons with Charlie while Hermione talked with Bill about the Wizarding system of money.

"I think that dragons are misunderstood," Alex said to Charlie as they began taking food outside, "I mean, it all depends on how their raised, just like with humans. Take Malfoy for example. His family and your family are old Wizarding families. One of them is a bunch of Muggle-hating snobs while you guys are totally different. You don't mind talking with Muggles about their computers or televisions. It's the same with dragons."

"Still," said Charlie as he set down a bowl of salad, "You have to be very careful with them. Some breeds have nasty tempers, like the Hungarian Horntail, and others tend to be calmer. Hagrid was lucky he got a Norwegian Ridgeback. They don't start wanting flesh until they're about three weeks old. How old was that dragon when you brought him to us?"

"Three weeks old," said Alex, "He actually took a bite and Ron and I while we were feeding him. We swelled up pretty bad so I guess the fangs were poisonous."

"They do that so that if they only wound the animal, they can track their prey easier."

Finally, they all sat down to eat, Alex's stomach growling loudly. She took a little of everything and began eating happily as she sat between Fred and Harry. Hermione was across from her, still talking with Bill. Alex turned to the twins.

"How much trouble are you in?" asked Alex.

"Oh don't worry about Mum," said Fred.

"She only thinks she's gotten all our stuff, but she managed to take the supplies we weren't using anymore," George said, looking around for eavesdroppers.

"Trust us, there's plenty more where those sweets came from," they said together and went back to eating.

After Alex had seconds of everything, including a delicious dessert, everyone was sent to bed.

"You'll all have a very early start tomorrow," said Mr. Weasley, "So I suggest you sleep well tonight."

The girls trudged up the stairs and fell asleep on their beds, too tired to even change into their pajamas. Alex dreamt that she was sitting by the lake with Orion, patting his head. Suddenly, he vanished and Alex was running around the entire grounds, screaming his name, but never shouting his true name. That was something she'd never do. Voices around her told her that he would only come if she said his real name but she refused, shouting even louder for them to stop.

"Alex!"

She woke with a start and found Hermione standing over her with a candle in her hand. Alex realized she was sweating and shaking, so she sat up and wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

"Just a nightmare," said Alex shakily, "Come on, let's just get ready."

Alex got up and started pulling clothes on, both Hermione and Ginny looking at Alex nervously.

_Author's Note: So there you have it! Hopefully you enjoyed this. Next chapter is when the Weasleys and friends go to the Quidditch World Cup. I'll also let you guys know how the Harry Potter theme part was! Please take the time to review and let me know what you think. :)_


	5. Chapter 4 Arriving in Style

_Author's Note: I cannot tell a lie so…I must tell you that all I own is Alex and some unrecognizable plot points._

Chapter 4 How to Arrive to a Wizarding Gathering in Style

"You look pale, Alex," said Harry as they sat down to eat a quick breakfast, "Are you feeling okay?"

"Never better," said Alex grumpily as she let out a jaw-cracking yawn, "I hate waking up early."

"Unless when she's going to Hogwarts or the first day of classes," chimed in Hermione with a tired smile.

Soon, Fred and George came down with identical, sleepy looks on their faces. Alex looked around and noticed Percy wasn't there, as well as Ron's other brothers.

"Mr. Weasley," said Alex and he looked up from the _Prophet_, "Where's everyone else? Aren't they coming too?"

"They are, but they've all passed their Apparation tests," said Mr. Weasley, "It doesn't take them as long to get there as it does us."

"So they get to sleep in?" exclaimed George, "That's not fair! Come on Fred, let's make a lot of noise and wake them up."

"Oh no you don't," said Mrs. Weasley, coming down the stairs in her nightgown and robe, "They studied hard and are getting their reward."

The twins sat down, looking angrily at their mother. After breakfast, Alex packed some extra clothes and her sketchbook in a bag, and went downstairs. Before she reached the landing, however, she heard Mrs. Weasley shouting at Fred and George. Apparently they had sweets hidden in their pockets. Alex wasn't sure whether to go back upstairs or wait until Mrs. Weasley stopped yelling. It wasn't long before Ron and Harry came down next to her and Mrs. Weasley stopped.

"Have a good time everyone!" she said happily, but then said darkly to the twins, "And behave yourselves!" Alex was really freaked out how Mrs. Weasley could change her emotions so quickly.

They waved to Mrs. Weasley and made their way. Alex had no idea where they were going, but she enjoyed the walk. It was very early and mist was just beginning to rise off the grass. The sky was a dull grey with hints of pink starting to appear. Finally, after hours of walking, the sun was completely out and Mr. Weasley seemed to be looking for something.

"Mr. Weasley," Alex asked curiously, "Where are we going exactly?"

"We need to go up that hill and then I'll tell you."

With Alex in the lead, the group hiked up the steep hill. Alex reached the top first, panting slightly and waited for the rest. They made their way slowly up, panting for breath and holding stitches in their side.

"Now, has anybody seen garbage lying around?" Mr. Weasley asked, "Something Muggles call libber, I think."

"You mean litter?" Hermione asked.

"That's it! Now look around."

Alex walked around the area, looking for garbage. She felt extremely stupid and wondered what someone would say if they saw a grown man and seven children looking for litter. A voice shouted and Alex looked up.

"Arthur! I found it!"

Alex had never seen the man in her life, but she knew the younger one fairly well. Cedric Diggory had played Gryffindor last year and had caught the Snitch, though only because Harry fell off his broom. Even though he tried to have a rematch, Hufflepuff still won and Alex harbored a dislike for him ever since. Apparently so did Fred and George, as they were Beaters on the team, and Harry because they only nodded to Cedric. Hermione and Ginny, on the other hand, were practically drooling all over him. Alex admitted he was good-looking, but she would never submit herself to drooling over a guy.

"Amos Diggory, good to see you. And this must be your son, Cedric. Hello!" Mr. Weasley shook hands with Cedric and his father.

"Are all these children yours, Arthur?" Amos asked, raising his eyebrows at them all.

"Oh no, only the redheads. These are my sons Fred, George, and Ron. That's my daughter Ginny. The rest are good friends of ours: Hermione, Alex, and Harry."

"Harry? Harry Potter?" Amos Diggory was beside himself. He turned to his son and said, "The one you beat in Quidditch last year?"

"Dad," Cedric muttered, turning pink, "Harry fell off his broomstick; it wasn't a fair match."

"So modest," the father said, shaking his head. Alex just stared at him with raised eyebrows, "I'll bet Harry here will say it was fair and square, right Harry?"

"Um, yeah," Harry said uncomfortably.

"Speaking of Quidditch," said Alex quickly, not giving Amos Diggory time to talk, "Shouldn't we get going to the match?"

"Merlin's beard, you're right Alex!" said Mr. Weasley, looking at his watch, "We better get a move on, Amos."

Alex and the others followed the Diggory's farther up the hill. When they reached the top, Alex saw a torn black boot. Everyone gathered around it and touched it, all shifting to make room for the others. Alex was squashed between Harry and Cedric, feeling lightheaded from lack of oxygen.

"What time did they say it would go?" Amos Diggory asked after they had waited in this position for two minutes.

"Right about…now."

Alex felt a jerking motion and her feet were lifted off the ground. The only thing keeping her connected to the boot was her index finer as she was jostled around. Suddenly as the motion began, it stopped. Alex was sent flying and landed on her side. She sat up and saw everyone but Mr. Weasley, Mr. Diggory, and Cedric on the ground, holding the side they landed on in discomfort. Cedric came over and helped Alex up.

"Thanks," she said, brushing herself off.

"You were on the Quidditch team last year, right?" Cedric asked.

"Just for one game," Alex said, shrugging, "Katie was hurt and I was the only other person who knew the Gryffindor tactics. Shame we lost, though," she added coolly.

Mr. Diggory was beckoning his son to come along and Cedric left, looking back at Alex. She followed the Weasleys and friends in the opposite direction towards a wooden shack with a man sitting inside.

"Ron," Alex asked as they walked, "What just happened?"

"What, you talking to Cedric? I don't know Alex, I don't really-"

"No," said Alex, slapping Ron's arm with a smile, "How did we get here with that boot?"

"Oh," said Ron, comprehending, "That was a portkey. They're junk, usually a ripped shirt or something that Muggles won't go around picking up. There's a charm on them that allows whoever touches it at a certain time to get taken to the place the portkey is designed for."

"Wow," said Alex with a grin, impressed.

They reached the shack and the old man looked at them strangely. It might have had something to do with the clashing colors of Mr. Weasley's sweater and tie.

"We've rented a camp site for this week," Mr. Weasley said with a smile.

Mr. Weasley, who never used Muggle money, gave Harry and Hermione the bills and had them pay the amount that the man told them. The old man took the money and went to give them their change but stopped, still looking at them.

"Ya know," he said in a whisper, "There've been a lot of funny folk comin' around here this week, like it's some kind of convention of weirdos."

"Really?" said Mr. Weasley nervously.

"Yup, I had this one fella try and give me these gold-plated coins, some kind of foreign money with weird symbols in it."

"Interesting," Mr. Weasley said, trying to keep his voice normal.

"I'm thinkin' it's some kind of cult," the man said. But just then, a man appeared next to him and shouted, "_Obliviate!_". The man's face seemed to relax and he handed Hermione the change and a map of the area.

"You all follow the path to right here, just outside the forest," the old man said with a smile, "Have a good time!"

"Thank you!" Mr. Weasley said with relief and Alex waved as they left. The man who had wiped the Muggle's memory seemed to know Mr. Weasley and they talked as they walked.

"I've had to wipe that man's memory five times today, and it's only nine in the morning!" he was complaining to Mr. Weasley, "Of course, it doesn't help that people are wearing robes and bantering about the winner of the match. And Bagman's been walking around, shouting his head off about Quaffles and Snitches! Honestly, I can't wait for this to be over. See you, Arthur."

The man disappeared and the others continued their walk. Alex was looking around in amazement. She knew that there were a lot of witches and wizards in the world, but she never expected this! It was amazing how all these people could keep a secret about a whole group of people from the rest of the world.

She saw there were two main sets of colors around the campground: red with black, and green with white. It was Bulgaria versus Ireland in this final match. Alex was going to Ireland because her uncle was mainly Irish, but she could not deny that the Bulgarians were a very good competitor.

As they walked, Alex saw all races of people with their families sitting outside their tents, just waking up. She saw a little girl on a toy broomstick hovering barely a foot off the ground, her mother talking very fast in another language to her. The girl got off the broom sadly and let a boy, probably her brother, get on. Alex smiled to the girl and waved slightly. The little girl waved back shyly and hid behind her mother's robes.

"Here we are, home sweet home!" Mr. Weasley said in a cheery voice.

Alex turned and saw two rather small tents lying in a pile. She looked up at Mr. Weasley, who was grinning broadly.

"Um, Mr. Weasley," said Alex, "Are we all going to fit in there?"

"Of course, now someone help me set these up."

Alex, who had the most experience with tents and camping since she went a few times with her guardian, set up a tent by herself while Hermione and Mr. Weasley worked on the other. In the end, Alex set up both the tents and started the fire outside. Once this was finished, the girls went into one tent while the boys went into the other one. Alex walked in and gasped. It was like walking into a normal-sized room. She had to go back out and walk in again to make sure she wasn't imagining things.

"Don't Muggles use tents?" Ginny asked as she lay out on a bed.

"Yeah, but they're the same size from the inside too," said Hermione as Alex walked back in for the fourth time.

"I love magic!" exclaimed Alex as she ran and jumped on another bed, laughing, "This is gonna be the best time ever! I'm actually going to see a professional game of Quidditch!"

Fred and George poked their heads in and told them someone needed to get water from the pump nearby. Alex and Hermione agreed to go, along with Harry and Ron. They each took a bucket and followed the map to find the pump. As they walked, Alex saw more children running around, laughing as they chased mini-Quidditch balls.

On their way back, they ran into Seamus Finnegan, a boy in their year and a Gryffindor. They also saw Fred and George's friend Lee Jordan, commentator for the Hogwarts Quidditch matches, as well as Oliver Wood. Wood had been the Gryffindor captain when Harry had started as well as when Alex subbed in. They didn't talk long because their buckets were getting heavier by the minute.

After they set down their buckets, it was lunch time. Mr. Weasley produced a few sausages and sticks to roast over the fire that was burning merrily. As they sat with their sticks over the fire, Alex wished Sirius could have been there, even as Orion. She sighed and knew that it wasn't safe for him to be around so many people, especially since it was only a few months since he was last spotted. Plus with all the extra security measures, who knew if his Animagus disguise would even work? No, it was better not to risk it. She had just gotten a father; she didn't want to lose him again.

Once everyone had finished eating, they went back to their tents and prepared for the match. Alex made sure nothing on her, around her, or within five feet of her, was red or black. She had painted her nails green and white for the occasion as well as picked up some green face paint. She dipped her fingers and drew green war stripes in her face, as well as her friends' faces.

When the girls came out of their tent looking like leprechauns had thrown up on them, the sky was just starting to get pink. Everyone was moving into the forest wearing their teams' colors. Alex and the others followed the crowd until they came to the largest stadium they had ever seen. Alex let out a long whistle and grinned.

"It's huge!" she said, "How does the Ministry keep Muggles from finding it?"

"This area from a ten mile radius has been charmed so that if a Muggle were to stumble upon it, they would remember something important they have to do and leave," Mr. Weasley said as they entered, "It takes a lot of work and preparation to host the Quidditch World Cup. You have to make all the necessary precautions as well as find means of getting everyone here. There are so many portkeys in the world and not everyone can Apparate. Your uncle has been working around the clock for quite sometime."

Alex's smile, if possible, grew even more with pride. Her uncle had helped organize one of the world's most anticipated events of the Wizarding World. It was like the Wizard version of the Olympics!

They passed several booths with shop owners shouting out to them, trying to outdo the other competitors. Alex picked up a large green top hat with a four-leaf clover that shouted the names of the Quidditch players. She also got a book with pictures of the matches leading up to the World Cup for her dad to see.

As Alex was debating between a pair of omnioculars, a kind of binocular that had some awesome features, and a green collar for when Orion came by, Ron was buying a miniature figurine of Victor Krum, the Bulgarian seeker. He had shown it to her and she watched as it walked around his hand, his face solemn as he looked down his severely broken nose.

"Ew Ron," said Alex, but smiling nonetheless, "Get that away from me, it's bad karma!"

Once everyone bought a souvenir, they went to find their seats. It was a long climb but, when they reached their destination, it was well worth it. They were able to see everything and they were right by the commentator's area. In fact, they were in the same box. Alex saw Uncle Monty talking to a man in a very snug yellow and black Quidditch uniform. They looked up as the group entered and the man in the robes grinned at them all.

"Arthur, it's so good to see you! And this must be your lovely family!" the man said in a booming voice.

"Not all of them are," Mr. Weasley said, "My three oldest are on their way. This is Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny. Alex is Elian's niece and Hermione and Harry are good friends of ours."

"Is that…Harry Potter?" the man said. He reached out and shook Harry's hand jovially, "I'm Ludo Bagman, it's a pleasure to meet you in person!"

Harry just smiled politely and they took their seats. Alex was in between Harry and Hermione. It was when she was finding her seat that she noticed there was another person in the box, or rather another _something_. It took Alex a moment to see that it was a house-elf like Dobby. Dobby was a house-elf that worked for the Malfoy's until Harry set him free with clothes. Could it really be him? The creature had its eyes shut tight and was holding its head in its small hands.

"Excuse me, is your name Dobby?" Alex asked and the house-elf looked up. It wasn't Dobby, it was a girl elf. Alex didn't know how she knew, but she did.

"I'm sorry," she said with a smile, "I thought I knew you."

"Winky has heard of you and your friends," the house-elf said in a squeaky voice, "Harry Potter freed Dobby and forced him into a terrible life."

"I didn't force him to do anything," said Harry, turning around to the elf, "In fact, if anything, Dobby was the one using force. He almost killed me! Anyway, Dobby said he wanted to leave, he hated working for the Malfoy's."

"How did you know who we were?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Winky has seen pictures of you in the newspapers," the house-elf said.

"We're in the newspapers?" asked Alex, "That's the first I've heard of it."

"Yes miss, Harry Potter and his friends were in the paper when it talked about Hogwarts being saved from closing," said Winky.

"Remember Alex? They were outside the gates as we went to the station," said Hermione and Alex nodded, remembering how many reporters there were. It was difficult to get to the train what with all their trunks and animal cages.

The little elf was shaking so badly, Alex thought she was going to fall off her chair. The seat next to her was on the end of the box, but it was empty.

"Are you up here by yourself?" Hermione asked kindly.

"Winky is waiting for her master to come," Winky said nervously, "Mr. Crouch asked Winky to save him a seat for the match while he settles things at work."

"Are you cold or something?" Alex asked, "You're shaking like it's the middle of winter."

"Winky is terribly afraid of heights."

"But why would your master make you do something when he knows it frightens you?" Hermione asked, frowning.

"Winky is a good house-elf," the little creature said, sitting up straighter, "And Winky will do whatever her master says she must."

Hermione opened her mouth to comment, but Alex turned her around and shook her head.

"Don't try to reason, Hermione," Alex said sadly, "House-elves are very loyal to their masters and will do anything to make them happy. Dobby was just an exception."

Hermione looked upset and, every few minutes, would look behind her at the elf. Alex used her omnioculars to scan the stadium in search of the players and the referees. Ron was telling her about how they could replay parts again, showing her a man picking his nose, when someone knocked into Alex's seat, almost causing her to drop her omnioculars over the box. She turned around and saw Draco Malfoy sitting in the row behind her.

"Sorry Ratcliff, didn't see you there," Malfoy said. He sounded sincere but, after a look from his father, he gave her a sneer.

"Quite all right, Malfoy," said Alex coldly, "If your eyes act like they do on the Quidditch pitch, I'll forgive you for being blind."

Ron sniggered and Malfoy shot him a dark look. Alex shook her head and turned back in her seat, but not before seeing who she guessed was Malfoy's mother.

Mrs. Malfoy looked as though she had been gorgeous when she was younger, but being married and raising a son seemed to be draining her. She had silvery blonde hair, like all the Malfoy's, grey eyes similar to her son's, and a haughty face. She seemed to have an air around her that radiated superiority.

Alex looked away and instead leaned forward, looking towards her guardian. He was chatting with Mr. Weasley and Percy, who had just arrived with his other brothers a few minutes ago. Uncle Monty saw Alex and waved.

"How did you get these seats?" Alex asked excitedly, hoping this wasn't all a dream.

"Well, seeing as I helped plan this entire thing," Uncle Monty said, "I got them for half off. We paid for the rest for two tickets."

"How's Orion?" Alex asked, remembering her father saying he would leave soon.

"Left just yesterday evening," Uncle Monty said in a lowered whisper so Alex had to lean across Harry and Ron to hear, "You know he can't stay in one place for too long. It's too dangerous."

Alex nodded and sat in her chair. Suddenly, there were cheers from the Irish sections and she saw a group of glittering objects flying through the sky. Ludo Bagman magically magnified his voice for the commentating.

"Ladies and gentlemen, witches and wizards of all ages, I give you the Irish mascots!"

Alex cheered loudly as the glittering dots came together to form a man in a green outfit and orange hair. The man began doing an Irish jig to the music blaring throughout the stadium.

"What are they?" Alex shouted to Ron over the noise.

"Leprechauns," yelled Ron, "Oh look, they're coming over here now."

The leprechauns flew over their part of the stadium and gold began to fall onto them. Alex used her hat to gather the pieces and grinned. She must be filthy rich by now.

"I hate to burst your bubble, Alex," Uncle Monty said, seeing his niece's face, "But leprechaun gold only lasts for a few hours. It's not real."

Ron, who had armfuls of gold, looked put out and slumped into his seat. Alex sighed because she knew the Weasley's didn't have a lot of money. Everything Ron had was a hand-me-down from one or more of his older brothers. Alex was willing to bet her green hat that Ron had been planning on what he was going to do with all that gold.

"AND NOW, HERE ARE THE BULGARIAN MASCOTS!" Ludo Bagman shouted and pulled out a pair of earmuffs and turned his head away.

At first, Alex didn't see anything, but after adjusting her omnioculars, she saw a group of women coming out onto the field. And yet, they weren't human women in that they seemed to radiate beauty. Their hair was long and silver, sparkling just right in the stadium lights. The entire stadium was silent, watching the strange people. Then, they danced, if it could be called that. As Alex watched, she was captivated by their movements. They were flowing so gracefully, so effortlessly that Alex wished she could learn how to do that. Movement next to Alex caused her to tear her eyes away and what she saw made her shout. Harry was trying to climb over the box wall to get to the women.

"Oh no you don't!" said Alex, grabbing Harry around the middle and pulling him back with such force that Harry flew back into his seat, stunned. The women stopped dancing and walked off, the crowd cheering for an encore.

"Wow," breathed Ron, a strange smile on his face, "That was the most amazing thing ever!"

"Sit down, lover boy," said Alex with a grin on her face and turned to Hermione. Her face was stony, but unreadable.

"What were they?" Hermione asked, her voice with a hint of ice to it.

"Veela."

Alex turned and saw Malfoy looking at her.

"You sound like we should know what "veela" are," said Alex frowning.

"No one knows what exactly they are," Malfoy continued, seeming not to notice the angry expression his father was wearing, "They're not exactly human women. Some say they're the children of angels and humans. When they dance, they captivate whoever is watching, though men usually go crazy while the women grow envious. Whatever they are, they're the most beautiful creatures of our world."

"Well, thanks for the Magical Creatures lesson," said Alex and turned back to the stadium.

The teams flew out of the locker rooms. Alex started cheering for the Ireland team when the Bulgarians came out. A chant seemed to be rising among the people, thought Alex couldn't understand it.

"What are they saying?" Hermione asked Ginny.

"Krum," Ginny replied, "He's the Bulgarian seeker. He's the best in the league and he's not even out of school yet!"

Alex watched as the teams lined up. The Quidditch World Cup was about to begin.

_Author's Note: Hello readers, I'm back! I hope you all had a nice holiday season, whether it be Easter or Passover or Insert-Holiday-Here. As I said before, I was lucky enough to be in Florida where I went to Disney and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I literally felt like I died and went to heaven. It is so realistic and the rides are TOTALLY AWESOME! I won't bore you with all the details or make this A/N too long for you all. If you want to hear more about my trip, I'd be happy to tell you about it in a PM. If you really don't care, sorry for boring you with this._

_Please take the time to tell me how my story is coming along. Reviews not only make me smile, they make the world go round! :D_


	6. Chapter 5 Quidditch Plus Other Things

_Author's Note: Alex and the plot points you don't remember from the books are mine, all mine! MUAHAHAHA!_

Chapter 5 The Quidditch World Cup…Plus Other Things

The Quaffle was released and Alex watched in awe. These people made Hogwarts Quidditch look like a mild rally. Bludgers were flying everywhere, Chasers were speeding by teammates in blurs. Alex didn't even know that they scored until Ludo Bagman shouted it to the fans.

The game went on for a few hours of non-stop adrenaline for Alex. Bulgaria was losing terribly and their players were suffering injuries from Ireland's superb Beaters. Finally, Alex saw Krum dive. It was a race for the Snitch. If Bulgaria caught it, Ireland would still win, though by a lot less. Alex was screaming herself hoarse when Krum caught the Snitch and raised it up. Alex cheered loudly, Ireland had still won the Cup! Everyone in their row was shouting happily. Alex, Hermione, and Ginny were jumping up and down in their excitement while Uncle Monty was punching the air in triumph shouting, "At last! It's ours!"

"THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING TO THIS EXCITING MATCH," Ludo Bagman shouting to the dispersing crowd, "AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE IRISH QUIDDITCH TEAM FOR AN OUTSTANDING MATCH! PLEASE EXIT CAREFULLY OUTSIDE AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT!"

Bagman returned his voice to normal and seemed to leave rather quickly. Alex turned to the twins to ask them a question, but found them whispering amongst themselves. The people in the box waited for the crowd to lessen slightly before they left. Alex was sitting back in her chair, her feet on the edge of the box when the entire Irish team came in. She sat up so quickly and she fell right out of her chair. She got up, dusting herself off and stared at the players. They were all well-built men and seemed a little tipsy from the celebration firewhiskey.

"Uncle Monty," whispered Alex happily, "Look at them! They're all right here within two feet of us!"

One of the players looked over at her and smiled. Alex almost fell over and tried to contain her joy. She and Ginny were giggling so hard while Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes, although unable to hide a smile of her own. Finally, the Weasley clan and friends left the box and went to their tent, Alex talking fast about the match.

"And did you see that save by Ireland?" she said as the girls went to their tent, "I mean, that was just amazing! And what about-"

"Go to bed, Alex," Hermione said with a yawn and they all curled up in their beds. Alex was just about to fall asleep when shouts came from outside.

"GO TO BED, ALEX!" Ginny and Hermione shouted together.

"That's not me," Alex said, slipping a pair of jeans under her nightshirt, grabbing a jacket and her wand, and looking out of the tent. She gasped aloud and stepped outside.

A group of people in all black were walking down the path of tents setting some on fire at random. But floating above them, in a sea of green light, were three people. One was the old man from the shack Alex had seen when she first came. The other two were a woman about the man's age and a child, a little girl younger than Alex. They seemed to have no control over their own movements for the woman was continually flipping upside down to reveal her underwear, which she tried desperately to cover with her night gown.

"That's sick," Alex said hoarsely, though not from all the screaming from the match.

The boys came out of their tent followed by Ginny and Hermione, who had pulled on pants and jackets.

"Fred, George, take Ginny to the forest. She's your responsibility, understand? Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Alex, stay together no matter what!"

"What's going-?"

"Run Alex, just get out of here!" Uncle Monty shouted as he ran toward the group of men. Alex just noticed that their faces where hidden by masks. Alex shook with rage. If they were too cowardly to show themselves, then they shouldn't even be there.

"Come _on_, Alex!" said Hermione, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her along until they were running one behind the other. Alex ran toward the trees as fast as her legs could carry her and she heard someone behind her, turning to see. While doing so, she tripped over a ditch, twisted her ankle hard, and fell to the ground. Laughter filled her ears and she saw one of the masked men coming toward her slowly, wand raised. As Alex fumbled for her wand, the figure raised theirs and Alex looked up in alarm.

"_Stupify!_"

Alex's eyes were wide as she recognized the voice that spoke and she watched as the masked person fell to the ground. Standing behind him with his wand raised was Draco Malfoy. He kicked the person to make sure he was out and came over to Alex.

"You okay?" he asked and she nodded, still in shock, "Can you walk?"

Alex leaned on Malfoy as she stood up. She tried to put weight on her ankle but it wouldn't keep her up.

"Come on," Malfoy said, slipping his arm around Alex as more spells zoomed past them, "We need to get out of here. Lean on me and we'll walk together."

The two of them made their way slowly to the trees, Alex limping and leaning heavily on Malfoy. Never in her life did she ever expect this to be happening, that she would actually allow Malfoy to get within five feet of her. Yet here she was, her ankle useless, allowing Malfoy to touch her as she leaned on him for support. She was surprised he was able to hold her weight, seeing as he was practically carrying her the entire way.

They reached a clearing and Alex sat with her back to a tree. Malfoy knelt down by Alex's feet and pulled out a white metal box with a red cross on it. He opened it, felt around, and pulled out a vial with black liquid in it.

"Which ankle was it you twisted?" he asked, uncorking the vial.

"My right," Alex answered.

He rolled up her right pant leg and took out a white cloth. He poured some of the potion onto the cloth and pressed it gently onto her ankle. Alex closed her eyes, expecting pain to shoot through her leg, but he seemed to know not to apply too much pressure. Malfoy then wrapped Alex's ankle up with the white cloth still on her ankle. He finished and put the supplies away, but Alex was staring at him.

"What did you just do?" she asked suspiciously.

"Well, it looks like I just bandaged up your ankle."

"What did you put on that cloth?"

"Just a potion to help it heal faster," Malfoy said, pulling out the vial for Alex to look at, "My mum does that whenever I twist my ankle while flying my broom around."

Alex handed back the vial and looked into his eyes, searching for any trace of a lie. For once she saw only truth…which made her even more suspicious.

"Why?"

"Because I would try to do things on my broom that I wasn't ready for," said Malfoy.

"No, I mean, why are you helping me? For the past three years, you've never said a kind word to me and all of a sudden you start fixing my ankle like an old pal," Alex said.

Malfoy was silent and Alex heard voices approaching. It sounded like Harry and the others. Malfoy put his first aid kit in his robes and started to leave.

"Malfoy," Alex hissed, "Answer my question!"

He turned to her, half hidden in the shadow of the trees.

"Consider this my making up for all the times I was mean and rude to you."

"Wait, that's not even a proper answer! Malfoy, get back here-" He disappeared into the forest and Alex was left alone as the voices drew closer. Then Harry, Ron, and Hermione appeared, all having leaves and scratches on them.

"Alex! We thought we lost you!" Hermione said, rushing over to her.

"What happened? You were right behind us," said Ron, "And why's your ankle bandaged up?"

"I tripped and twisted my ankle," said Alex, "Some foreign guy helped me get away and bandaged me." She decided to not mention it was Malfoy. They would ask why and she was still trying to figure that out for herself.

"Can you walk by yourself?" Harry asked.

Alex got up carefully and put pressure on her foot. It throbbed a lot, but she was fine. They slowly continued their walk deeper into the forest until they stopped at a smaller clearing and sat down.

"Where are the others?" Alex asked, stretching her ankle out.

"Lost them too," Ron said, "We were hoping they were with you."

A noise in a nearby bush made them all jump. They pulled out their wands, Harry looking in his pockets for his.

"I can't find it!" he whispered.

Alex moved closer to him and raised her wand higher. A human voice said something that sounded like a spell and a jet of green light shot upward toward the sky. Alex looked up as a gruesome sight appeared before her. A bright green skull was there, shining an eerie light on the four students. Then, a snake came out of the skull's mouth and began wrapping itself around the skull. Alex watched, petrified with fear. Something inside her told her this was not good.

A series of cracking made Alex and the others duck in time. Red beams of light shot above them and Alex tried not to shout aloud when Ron dove onto Alex's injured leg.

"STOP!" came the sound of two voices.

The red light stopped and Alex heard footsteps running toward them. Alex looked up and saw Mr. Weasley and Uncle Monty running over to them.

"Are you kids all right?" Mr. Weasley asked, looking white as a ghost and grim as ever.

"Yes Mr. Weasley," Harry said.

"Alex, what happened to you ankle?" Uncle Monty asked and helped his adopted niece to her feet.

"It's twisted, that's all."

"Which of you did it?" a man shouted hysterically, "Which one of you conjured it?"

"Conjured what?" Alex asked, "What's going on here? There were these people in masks chasing us, who were they?"

"Don't play dumb with me!" the man half shouted and Alex moved closer to her uncle, terrified this man would try to hurt them, "You were found at the scene of the crime!"

"Wait a minute," said Alex, looking up at the skull above them, "You think we conjured that thing up there! I don't even know what it is, let alone how to conjure it!"

"Barty," Mr. Weasley said, trying to calm the man down, "The Dark Mark takes dark magic to conjure. Surely you don't think these children could have done that?"

"We heard something," Hermione said in a high voice and the adults turned to her, "We heard a voice in the bushes and then the thing appeared."

The hysterical man named Barty went over to the bush and began looking in it. As he did, Uncle Monty held Alex close to him.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again, Alex," he whispered, "When I saw you lying there with the Dark Mark above you and the others, I thought you were dead."

Alex was about to ask what this Dark Mark was and why it had everyone so scared when Barty came back holding a little person in his arms. On closer inspection, Alex recognized the person as Winky the house-elf. In her tiny hands was a wand that looked strangely familiar…

"That's my wand!" Harry said, "I thought I lost it!"

Barty seemed not to hear Harry. He laid down the elf and took the wand, muttering something as he pointed his own at the tip of Harry's. Grey smoke appeared and an exact replica of the mark above them formed, still menacing as the real one. Barty then pointed his wand at the elf and the little creature awoke. She looked around to the two wands in Barty's hand and began to sob.

"Winky is sorry, Master, Winky should have not left the tent!" she sobbed and Alex's heart went out to the elf. Her master, who Alex realized was Mr. Crouch, seemed unmoved.

"I told you to stay in the tent until I came back," he said angrily, "You did not listen to me Winky and you must be punished!"

"The men were burning the tents, Master," Winky wailed, "Winky was scared for her life! They were going to burn Master's tent next and Winky would have died along with the others!"

"Where did you get this wand, Winky?" Mr. Crouch asked coldly and Alex found she didn't like this man at all.

"Winky found it on the ground, Master," Winky said though her tears as she rocked back and forth, "Winky was afraid someone would step on it and break it, Winky knew it had to belong to some poor wizard who would need it. So Winky picked it up to keep it safe from harm."

"You know house-elves aren't allowed to carry wands, Winky," Mr. Crouch said, "Not only did you disobey my strict order not to leave the tent, but you broke the law. This means clothes."

"NO!" shouted the elf and Alex's heart seemed to break a little, "No Master, not clothes! Anything but clothes! Winky is a good house-elf, Master. Winky will punish herself most severely for this sir. Please Master, Winky's family as served yours for generations!"

"You should have thought of that before you disobeyed me."

Alex was shaking with anger now. How could anybody be so cold-hearted? The poor elf was scared for her life! Alex was about to take a step forward, but Uncle Monty held her back as well as Hermione, who looked like she was about to cry.

"I believe this is your wand," Mr. Crouch said to Harry and handed it over.

Harry nodded. He too seemed upset by the scene in front of him. As Mr. Crouch turned away to leave, Alex burst.

"Apology accepted, by the way!" she said angrily, "You know, for thinking we conjured the mark up there! Yeah, we forgive you and thank you for realizing you were wrong and everything!"

Mr. Crouch turned to Alex and she stared straight back at him, her stormy grey ones full of fire never leaving his icy blue ones.

"I am sorry for the confusion," he said stiffly, as though it took a great deal of effort to say. He then grabbed his elf roughly and disappeared with a _CRACK_.

Alex muttered dirty words under her breath and Mr. Weasley, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Uncle Monty, supporting Alex, left the forest. It was dawn when they entered the camp grounds and found the entire area in chaos. People were running around, trying to find their loved ones while wizards were blockading areas to clean up the damage. The remaining Weasleys were sitting by the entrance to the area and Ginny ran to her father when she saw him.

"What happened Dad?" Fred and George asked together.

"We saw the Dark, Mark," Percy said, sustaining a few cuts and bruises.

"Nothing, everything is fine. We're all alive and together, that's all that matters," Mr. Weasley said, patting his daughter on the head.

All the people who graduated school left to try and help people while the students sat by the edge of the forest and watched.

"Who were those people?" Ginny asked, her voice shaking.

"I've heard Dad talk about them," George said, "They're called Death Eaters. They worked for You-Know-Who when he was at his height."

"Why were they here? Why now?" asked Alex, thinking of her dream with Wormtail and Voldemort.

"Well, now because there are so many wizards and witches here," said Fred, "But no one really knows why yet. They think a few of them were a little drunk and were trying to have some fun."

"Well, whoever defines "fun" as seeing a poor woman's underwear has a sick mind and needs some serious work," Alex said, rubbing her ankle. It wasn't hurting as much now so Alex suspected Malfoy's potion was actually working. "But what about this Dark Mark? Why is everyone so scared when they see it?"

"Death Eaters used to put the Dark Mark up in the sky over a place where they killed," explained Fred, "The greatest fear of every witch or wizard was coming home to find that mark above your house. It meant the Death Eaters had taken everything from you."

Alex shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself, lost in her own thoughts. It was much later that day when Mr. Weasley and the others took a portkey back to the Burrow. Uncle Monty was staying to help clean up and Alex was going to stay with the Weasleys until the start of term. As the walked over the hill toward the Burrow, a figure ran out of the house and towards Fred and George.

"Mum!" Fred choked as Mrs. Weasley gave him and his brother lung-crushing hugs.

"Can't…breathe…losing…oxygen," George gasped and their mother pulled away, tears in her eyes.

"I got the _Prophet_ this morning," Mrs. Weasley said, sniffling, "I read about the attack and thought about the last words I said to you. I thought that, if you were dead, those would be the last things you remembered!"

Alex watched as Mrs. Weasley went to each of her family in turn, kissing them and embracing them. She then hugged Hermione, Harry, and then Alex in turn. Alex felt a lump in her throat. This must be what it was like to have a mother worrying about you.

After the reunion, everyone went inside and Mrs. Weasley began making a feast for dinner to celebrate everyone being safe. She quickly tended to Alex's ankle so that Alex could walk normally. As Mrs. Weasley was putting away the bandage, she saw the cloth underneath.

"That's strange," she said, sniffing the cloth.

"What is it?"

"I've never seen this potion used before with a twisted ankle," Mrs. Weasley said, "I usually use it for when someone breaks a bone until we can go to St. Mungo's. It's a very strong healing potion, but extremely hard to make. Who fixed your leg up?"

"I don't really know," lied Alex, knowing the reaction to the truth, "Some man I've never met."

"Well, you've got an angel looking out for you then, Alex," Mrs. Weasley said with a smile, "Now come and help me so we can get dinner on the table."

That night, dinner was just as good as it had been the night Alex arrived. With a very full stomach and drooping eyes, Alex and the others climbed the stairs and fell asleep quickly. Alex's dreams were filled with green light, men in masks, and a boy with grey eyes and blonde hair.

_Author's Note: This is one of my favorite chapters in this books so all thoughts and opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks to all who reviewed, added me to their favorites, and put me on alert. Don't forget to tell me what you think! :D_


	7. Chapter 6 The Potions Madam

_Author's Note: Sad to say, all I own is Alex and anything else you don't remember reading in the original series._

Chapter 6 The Potions _Madam_

Alex was sitting in the train compartment sketching Ron and Harry as they played wizard's chess, green blurs flying by as the train sped toward Hogwarts. Wizard chess is a lot like Muggle chess, only that the pieces move of their own accord, and talk to you when they feel you're making a bad move. Harry's knight was arguing with him about sending him against the queen.

"Fine!" said Harry angrily, "I'll send the pawn then!"

Alex chuckled as she watched Harry's pawn move ahead, leaving Ron to take the king and win the game. Earlier that day, the four Weasley's, Harry, Hermione, and Alex had packed up their trunks into Ministry cars that Uncle Monty managed to get for them all. Alex smiled as she remembered the hurried good-byes on the platform. Mrs. Weasley had made sure she hugged all of them, going back twice with Harry and Alex and Hermione. Uncle Monty told her to be careful like always and swiftly kissed the top of her head before helping her onto the train just before it took off for the station.

The guys interrupted her thoughts by demanding to know what she had been up to while they were playing. She happily turned her book towards them and showed them the sketch.

"Is my nose really that long?" Ron asked, squinting at Alex's drawing.

"Why is my forehead all wrinkly?" Harry asked.

"For Ron, from my angle it was but only because of how your head was tilted. And Harry, your forehead is like that because you've been frowning about losing to Ron, yet again."

Everyone laughed and Ron pulled out a newspaper clipping, showing it to Alex. As Alex's eyes darted across the page, she saw it was about her dad. The ministry was giving up its all-out mad hunt for Black but assured the public that they would keep a look out. They seemed to think he was not as big a threat as before.

"He was never a threat!" said Alex, handing the clipping back to Ron, "I wish Fudge believed us when we told him! If it weren't for Snape telling everyone we were confused, we would have had a chance."

Just then, Ginny raced into their apartment and all talk about Sirius stopped immediately. Ginny seemed to notice something was up, but didn't ask.

"What's wrong, Ginny?" Hermione asked.

"Crabbe and Goyle are going around the compartments taking everyone's sweets," she panted, clutching a handful of candy, "I only just got out of my own and ran here."

"Stay with us, Ginny," Alex said, pulling out her wand with her eyes glinting with excitement, "I've been meaning to give those two morons a good jinxing."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Do I need a reason?" Alex asked mischievously.

Unfortunately for Alex, she never got the chance. The train slowed down as they arrived at the Hogsmede Station. The students grabbed their animals and trunks and set off to the carriages while the first years went to the boats. As they approached, Alex saw the thestrals who pulled the carriages. Slipping away from the others, she came over and stroked one of their heads.

_"Did you have a good summer?"_ Alex whispered to the bony, horse-like creature.

_"I did, thank you,"_ the thestral replied, _"It's good to see everyone back here where things are better than the rest of the world."_

Alex patted the creature's nose and went into the carriage with her friends. They arrived at the oak front doors and they went inside the Great Hall.

The Great Hall was the biggest room in the castle, although it may have been thought that because of its ceiling enchanted to look like the sky. This made it seem as though there was no ceiling in that room. Alex, Harry, Hermione, and Ron sat down at the Gryffindor table and waited for the Sorting to take place. Once all the little first years were Sorted, the headmaster stood up and the hall was silent.

"Welcome everyone to another wonderful and exciting year at Hogwarts!" Professor Dumbledore said to the school, his bright blue eyes winking cheerfully behind his half-moon glasses, "Just a few announcements before we all eat and become too full of supper to pay attention. First off, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has a list of banned items on his office door and part of the floor as well. If you have any questions about what is considered banned, please see Mr. Filch before you decide to use it.

"Also, the Forbidden Forest has that name for a reason. Please do not go wandering around in there for I do not wish to have the centaurs bring you back to the castle because you were in their territory. They tend to, ah, make sure that if you do trespass on their land, you are properly shown the way out."

Alex shivered when she remembered Harry telling her about the centaurs in her first year.

"A new announcement this year, though very important, in light of a series of events last year, I must ask all students to stay well away from the Whomping Willow. As some students can tell you, the name describes the tree perfectly." Dumbledore turned his eyes to Alex and the others and she smiled sheepishly.

"And finally, we have a new professor this year. He just sent word that he is running a little late and will be here very soon. Now, everyone dig in!"

Food appeared on the golden plates and Alex felt her stomach growl loudly. She took all the food she could find and began eating, listening to the discussions about the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

"Can't be Snape," said Lee Jordan cheerfully, "He's up there now sulking into his turkey."

"They had a werewolf last time, do you think they'll get a vampire?" Parvati Patil, a girl in Alex's year and dormitory, asked nervously.

"I don't think so," Lavender Brown, Parvati's friend, said, "I mean, look at the uproar over Professor Lupin. He was the best teacher we ever had and people still sent letters to Dumbledore for him to be fired."

"I wonder what happened to Professor Lupin," Alex said to Hermione in a whisper.

"Maybe he found another teaching post?" suggested Hermione.

"I hope so, he was very good."

Desserts appeared after the main course and Alex was about to take a bite of her brownie when the door of the Great Hall opened and a man came in. That is, if you could call him a man. His face was hard with scars everywhere, as though a wild animal had clawed at his face. His one eye was small and dark while the other one was large and bright blue. As Alex watched it, it seemed to move of its own free will and not affecting the man's other eye in the least. The man carried a staff and was leaning heavily on it, his one foot making a clunking sound when he stepped on it. As Alex took a closer look, she saw it was made of wood, the same kind as the staff he was carrying.

"I don't believe it," said Ron, "It's Mad-Eye Moody!"  
>"Who?" Harry, Alex, and Hermione said together.<p>

"He's the most famous Auror, or dark wizard catcher, ever! Almost all the dark wizards who are in Azkaban are in there because of him."

"He looks pretty beat up," noted Harry as Mad-Eye Moody walked up and greeted the Headmaster.

"Yeah well, we thought Lupin was beat up too, and he lasted," said Alex.

"Everyone," said Dumbledore over the noise and the hall was quiet, "This is your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Alastor Moody!"

Everyone clapped, although most seemed awestruck that such a famous person was teaching in their school. Moody never smiled, but nodded to the crowd of students. Both his eyes fell on Harry and Alex and his blue one began whizzing from one to the other. Alex frowned, could he know about her scar? No one seemed to know about it, except those who had been there that night and those she had told.

Alex returned to her dessert, but found she wasn't hungry anymore. She had worked hard to keep her secret hidden from the school. She didn't want people looking at her like some thing on display or blaming her for things beyond her control like they did with Harry. Alex was quite happy when it was time to go to the dormitories. She and Hermione were the first ones for the fourth year in a row, thanks to the many passageways they had learned. They called their usual beds and watched as Maggie and Lavender fought over the bed by the door.

Maggie was a short girl with blonde hair and cold blue eyes. All of her family had been in Slytherin and she was upset in being a Gryffindor, taking her anger out on her roommates, usually Alex. Finally, Maggie ended up with the bad bed, for the fourth year in a row, and everyone fell asleep.

…...

The next day, Alex was up before the sun was. Quietly, she went to the bathroom and got ready for school. She pulled on her robes and her favorite pair of jeans, which now had a few stitches where she had torn them last year when she broke her leg.

Alex stood in front of the mirror, trying to decide on what to do with her hair. As she stared at herself, she noticed she wasn't as scrawny as she had been when she first came. She seemed to be filling out in areas, making her look more grown up. Alex smiled, her face still the same, and decided to leave her hair down today. She took a hair tie, just in case she had Potions and had to put her long, thick hair back.

Alex left the bathroom and found everyone still asleep. She looked at her watch and saw it was still four in the morning. Sighing, Alex took her bag and went to the common room. She pulled out a piece of parchment and wrote two letters, one for her dad and the other for Uncle Monty. She told them both that she was at school and hoped to hear from them soon. Seeing she still had time until breakfast was served, Alex headed to the Owlry, invisible to anyone how would be walking the corridors thanks to her necklace.

Alex's necklace not only served as a locket to keep a picture of her parents in, but it was also an Invisibility Necklace. It allowed the wearer to become invisible with a turn of a knob. As she walked, Alex opened her locket and smiled. She had changed the picture to her real father, but put a strong charm on it so that anyone who was looking at it that didn't know the truth would see her mother and her supposed father instead of her real one. Alex wished she could let everyone know who her father was but, in Sirius' first letter to her, he made her swear that she wouldn't say anything for fear the students would think she tried to help him get to Harry.

Alex opened the door to the Owlry and became visible again. She called up to Monty, her pure black owl named after her uncle, and he swooped down.

_"I need you to take this to Uncle Monty and Sirius,"_ Alex said to Monty as she tied the letters to his leg.

_"No problem. Can I go see Henry while I'm in the neighborhood?"_ Monty asked pleadingly.

Alex smiled and nodded. Henry was Erin's owl that Alex had given her at the end of her school year. Erin had decided not to name him Sirius for fear of people confusing him with the madman. It was Malfoy's owl's baby that she helped bring into the world and Malfoy had given it to her because he couldn't take care of two owls.

_"Once you finish your visit, I have one more thing to ask of you,"_ she said, _"You think you could find Professor Lupin? I'd like to keep in touch with him but I have no idea where he is now."_

_"Of course! I'll ask around as I fly. I haven't failed you yet and don't plan on doing so anything soon."_

Alex laughed as she led Monty to the open window and watched him fly off into the rising sun. She stood there for a few minutes, not looking at anything in particular when she saw a very large figure moving across the grounds. Alex recognized the broad shoulders of her friend Hagrid, the school gamekeeper and her Care of Magical Creatures teacher.

Alex went back to the common room and up to her dormitory to find the room in a strained silence. She looked at Hermione, who only shook her head and jerked it to Maggie's four poster bed. Alex sighed and waited for Hermione to finish getting ready. Once they were both out of the dormitory, Hermione spoke.

"Apparently Maggie had a pretty rough summer," Hermione said bitterly as they walked to the Great Hall, "Her mother didn't want her to come back this year-"

"Wish she didn't," muttered Alex.

"-because of what happened with Professor Lupin. She was going on about how it was stupid of Dumbledore to hire a werewolf and how things around here are going downhill and they need a better head of school to run it. Then, she suggested Professor Snape take over to Dumbledore."

"Is she mad?" Alex cried as they sat down to eat, "If she really wants to see things go downhill, let Snape run the school. The entire place would be devoted to Dark Magic and we'd all learn how to curse each other's brains out!"

"Well, all three of us let her have it," Hermione said, "Lavender was saying how if she really wants to be a Slytherin, ask to switch houses and stop taking everything out on us. Parvati was swearing in another language and saying how she has some nerve to talk about change when she's too much of a chicken to change houses."

"And what did you say?" Alex asked curiously.

"I simply told her that if she had a problem with how this school was run," Hermione said calmly, but she was turning red with embarrassment, "Then she should take it up with the Headmaster and quit being such an idiotic-"

But Ron and Harry joined them and Hermione's face, if possible, went even redder. Alex looked at her with raised eyebrows but bit into her toast and remained silent. Professor McGonagall came around with their schedules and Alex looked at Hermione's.

"Hey, you dropped Muggle Studies with Divination!" Alex said happily, "Now you don't need to do the whole time-travel thing!"

"It was getting to be way too much for me to handle," Hermione said with a smile, "I was missing out on so much, so I decided to drop the subjects that weren't for me."

"Damn, I'm going to miss you and Trelawney going at each other," said Ron as he swallowed a mouthful of porridge with difficulty, "That was always the highlight of my day."

"Thanks Ron," said Hermione and gave him a light shove, causing him to spill hot porridge all over him. Alex laughed along with the rest of the table as Ron cursed and wiped his robes.

"EW!" Alex exclaimed, looking at her schedule, "We have double Potions on a Monday first thing! That's like waking up, getting punched in the face, and then having to brew the Polyjuice Potion!"

"Oh stop it, Alex," said Harry, as they finished their breakfast and headed to the dark dungeons, "At least you're good at Potions. Not only does Snape hate me, but he can take it out on me during class. He can't do that with you because you do everything right!"

"Trust me," said Alex as they waited outside the classroom, standing far away from the Slytherins, "If I were to get one tiny thing wrong with my potion, I'd never hear the end of it."

The door opened and the Slytherins and Gryffindors entered the classroom. Alex and Hermione sat in front of the boys and began pulling out their books, cauldrons, and ingredients. Alex's leg moved up and down very fast in anticipation of their new year of Potions. Inside, Alex knew that Snape would start out with a "hard" potion to get them back into the swing of things, and she was ready for a challenge.

Alex was right. They had to create a potion that, if brewed incorrectly, would likely poison the drinker. Once Snape told them to get ready, Alex began pulling out the ingredients and read the directions to herself, her finger running along the words. She was in her element right now; Potions was one of the only classes where she felt at home in. Sure she loved her other subjects, with the exception of Arithmancy and History of Magic, but in this class she always knew what she was doing.

As Alex read the last set of instructions, she frowned slightly. It said to put the powdered petals into the potion and then stir clockwise. Yet in another potion Alex had done last year, she had found that if you add a counterclockwise stir every seventh stir, the color of the potion became clearer. Throwing caution to the wind, Alex put the powdered petals in and stirred clockwise seven times and then counterclockwise. She did this until the potion turned a "bright emerald green" as the directions said it should. Looking around, she saw that everyone was far behind her as usual. Alex was always the first to finish her potion, no matter how hard it was supposed to be. She spat into her potion for good luck, and to help the ingredients reach their full potential, and bottled a sample of the potion. She placed it on Snape's desk and went back to her cauldron to clean her area up. She found Snape standing by her cauldron, his eyes unreadable.

"See me after dinner tonight," he said menacingly, so that almost everyone could hear.

"Have I done something wrong, sir?" Alex asked as politely as she could.

"We need to discuss something of great importance," Snape replied and continued going around to all the other students.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked as Alex sat down, slightly pale.

"I have no idea," Alex said, "But I have a feeling it isn't going to be good."

After the double Potions lesson, the four went to the Great Hall for lunch. Alex slumped into a chair and began eating her meal, her face betraying her inner worry.

"Relax Alex," said Harry encouragingly, "Snape's probably going to give you an award for being the best Potion student since my mum. He only acted upset because he doesn't want to."

"What do we have next?" Alex asked, waving her hand at Harry and shaking her head.

"History of Magic and Arithmancy," Hermione said and Alex groaned, "But after that is a free period. We could visit Hagrid!"

"I'd like that," Alex said, cheering up a little, "Maybe he got another hippogriff!"

Last year, Hagrid had introduced hippogriffs to the class, large creatures that were part bird and part horse. During that first lesson, Malfoy had gotten attacked by one, named Buckbeak, because he insulted it. While traveling back to rescue Sirius, Harry and Hermione had saved Buckbeak from being executed.

The four left the Great Hall and went to History of Magic. This class was unanimously the most boring of all classes at Hogwarts. It was the only one taught by a ghost, only because he never realized he had died. Professor Binns would spend his class lecturing the students about battles and wars, which Alex would have found interesting if not for the fact that Binns had a droning sort of voice that made almost everyone fall straight to sleep. Only Hermione seemed to break Binns' spell and stay awake so she could take notes.

The bell rang and everyone began packing up for their next class. Alex and Hermione walked to Arithmancy, which was taught by Professor Nellie, a white haired man with dark eyes who wheezed when he talked but was very kind.

The girls walked in and found the professor sitting at his desk. He smiled as they entered and nodded to the two small tables they had used last year.

"I'll let you all chose your seats this year," Professor Nellie wheezed, "Only four per table and please try to intermix with all houses."

Alex and Hermione sat down and began pulling out their books. People began to file in and the girls were joined by the Ravenclaw boy while Ernie Macmillan and the other Hufflepuff girl sat at the other table. Malfoy and the other Slytherin boys came in and looked around. The other Slytherins darted for the two empty seats and Malfoy calmly walked over to Alex's table.

"Welcome back, everyone!" Professor Nellie said with a smile, "I'm glad to see some inter-school mixing this year! I decided to start of with another packet to see how much you all have retained during the summer months. This year's prize is a homework pass for a two nights' worth of homework. So, try your best and you can come up and get the packets."

The Ravenclaw boy went to get the packets and the two Gryffindor girls were left with Malfoy.

"Your friends left you hanging," Alex said, gesturing to the other Slytherins at the other table.

"Just because they're in my house, doesn't mean they're my friends," commented Malfoy, "I'm surprised they even passed the exam. They spent all last year cheating off the others at their table, I would hear them bragging about it afterwards."

The Ravenclaw came back and handed out the packets. For the first few problems, Alex was able to figure them out. Once they got further on, however, she struggled to comprehend the problems and took to letting Hermione do the work while she tried to follow along. The others seemed to know what they were doing and Alex felt more embarrassed by the minute. She was quite glad when they finished the work and Malfoy took the packets to Professor Nellie. Alex let out a sigh of relief and looked at her watch. They still had fifteen more minutes left until freedom.

"That wasn't so bad," Hermione said, "I think we managed to get them all."

"Yeah, that last one was tricky though," the Ravenclaw boy said, "I'm Nick by the way."

"I'm Hermione and that's Alex," she said and Alex smiled, "I think I've seen you in the library before."

"Probably," Nick said, a small smile appearing, "I practically live there during the school year."

"Same with her," said Alex, nodding at Hermione, "We have to drag her out of there for meals and sleep."

Malfoy came back and they sat in silence for the last couple of minutes. When the bell rang, as Alex put her stuff away, she heard the other table scrambling for answers. She and Hermione left the classroom and walked to the common room, dropped their stuff off with the boys, and headed outside to Hagrid's hut.

_Author's Note: Hello all! So what did you think of this chapter? It's more of a filler because the next one has a lot of fun stuff in it. Still, all opinions are greatly appreciated. Just remember that any and all flames will be taken and stored for the Battle of Hogwarts scene to be used against the people of Hogwarts. Would you really want to fuel the Death Eaters to destroy the Hogwarts castle? Didn't think so…_

_On another note, I will try to update as often as I can. However, I have my graduation in a month so things are gonna be kinda crazy around here. I'm in the middle of AP testing which is a living hell. If you don't know what they are, you are very lucky. I also have finals at the end of May as well as a bunch of senior class activities. I just wanted to keep you informed in case I'm not very regular with my updates._

_Now that business is taken care of, don't forget to let me know what you think of this. Thank you to all who put me on alert and in their favorites, as well as those lovely readers who reviewed. You all are amazing! :D_


	8. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE!

Dear Readers,

I really hate having to make an entire chapter dedicated to an Author's Note because if you all are anything like me, you get all excited when that "New Chapter Alert" pops up in your inbox only to find out it's the author sending out an announcement or something. However, this is really important and I would appreciate it if you all would read this.

It has come to my attention that some of you haven't been getting my review replies. For most of you this may not be a big deal but for those of you who asked me questions, it's probably more so. This really bothers me as a writer because I make it a point to encourage you to reply to my chapters and I always take the time to thank you all for doing so. The fact that you are taking time away from whatever else you want to do in order to give me your thoughts or insight is something I value greatly; the least I can do is respond back. It really upsets me that some of you haven't been receiving either answers to your questions or recognition for your comments.

For this last chapter, I made sure to respond to everyone. I am asking you all to please PM me if you haven't received a response because if many of you haven't heard from me, I plan to talk to FanFiction to see if they can fix this problem.

Right now, I wanted to answer a few questions that a lot of people have been asking me in case you never got my responses. I really hate doing it this way but, as it seems, it is the only way to let you all know. If you don't want to read this for fear of it ruining the story for you, **PLEASE DO NOT READ ANYTHING BELOW THIS NEXT SENTENCE!** Thank you (if you are leaving now) for taking the time to read this and _please_ let me know if you got a reply from your review. Okay, there are the answers to your questions:

1) Harry and Alex are not, were not, and will not ever be a couple. Although it says OC/Harry under the characters, that is only because this is their story. They are going through all of this together. The bond they share is like that of a brother and a sister; it would just be plain awkward to have them dating each other. For all of you who are upset by this, I really do apologize and can only hope that you can look past the relationship and enjoy the other parts of the story. However, I also understand if that is enough to make you not want to continue reading this story.

2) Many people believe that if Alex and Draco were to get together, it would be awkward because they would be second cousins. However, this is an AU story which means I can do whatever I want with the characters. For example, let's say _hypothetically_ that Alex and Draco were to become an item. I could alter the Black family tree to make it so that the two of them were fourth or fifth cousins. Also, I could make it so that the two of them didn't know they were related until one of them was far too much in love. May I also remind you that there is a long history of inter-familial marriages in the Black family?

3) For the majority of the books, everything is still in canon. Alex's presence will only cause big changes towards the end of the series. I firmly believe that J.K Rowling did a great job with her characters and I do not intend to change them to the point where they are unrecognizable. Relationships will, for the most part, remain the same. This does include Harry and Ginny. For anyone who is annoyed by this, please note again that this is an AU fic. Ginny in this book will be different from the original books and certainly different from the Ginny in the movies. As I said before, there is more to the series than the relationships and I sincerely hope that even if you are unhappy with a pairing, you can find something else you enjoy.

4) Alex's powers did not come to her when Voldemort killed her mother and the Potters. That is why Harry does not have them too. I won't tell you how she got them or why because that would ruin everything for you guys. I'm already telling you all more than I had planned when I first decided to post this series. I don't want to ruin all the surprises that are in store for this series.

And that's it. I'm almost positive I answered the most important questions that a lot of you were asking. Now I would really appreciate it if you all would PM me if you haven't received a review reply from me if you reviewed. As one person pointed out, I mention on my profile that I always reply to my reviewers and it really upsets me that, for some of you, that was a lie. I really do apologize and plan to try and fix it the best I can. However, I need everyone's help to do that. Thank you for your time and your continual support.

With love,

silvermoony77


	9. Chapter 7 A Knack For Something

_Author's Note: Hey, you. Yeah, I'm talking to you! Come here…closer…closer…okay good. Now listen closely…I ONLY OWN ALEX AND ANYTHING YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE!_

Chapter 7 What Happens When You Have a Knack for Something

"Got somethin' fer yeh to see," Hagrid said as the four Gryffindors came closer to Hagrid.

Alex smiled and quickly followed her large friend around back and stopped at a pile of crates. Curiously, she peered over the side and looked in. She frowned and looked at Hagrid.

"What are they?" she asked.

"Blast-Ended Skrewts," Hagrid said proudly, "Just got 'em last week, not sure wha' they do, though. That's what we'll be doing in our lessons, yeh'll have to figure out wha' they eat, sorta like a puzzle."

Alex forced a smile and turned back to the Skrewts. They looked like giant larva with their off white, soft skin. Alex couldn't tell where the front or back were because she couldn't see any eyes. All in all, they looked like large, ugly worms.

"Hey Hagrid," Ron asked, looking at them too, "Why are they called 'Blast-Ended' Skrewts?"

As if they heard Ron's question, one of the creatures let out a bang and the crate exploded. Flames began to leap up and Hagrid dumped a bucket of water on them. The larva-like thing was at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

"They use their ends," Hagrid said as he brought back the skrewt, "To propel themselves in times o' danger."

They spent the rest of the time inside, and away from the skrewts. Hagrid made tea for them and some of his homemade rock cakes. As the others were trying to bite into the cakes with their teeth still intact, Alex decided to ask Hagrid something that had been bothering her since the night before.

"Hagrid, how come you knew all about Vol-I mean, You-Know-Who, attacking me and my mum? Why doesn't everyone know like with Harry?"

"Well, I know 'cause Dumbledore asked me ter get yeh to yer grandparents. But we, that is, McGonagall and I, weren't to tell a soul about what happened that night. Harry's story had already gotten out 'cause people knew that his parents were livin' there, but no one knew about yeh and yer mum. Dumbledore wanted ter keep it that way, and he wanted that fer Harry too but it was too late for him."

Alex nodded and looked at Harry. Harry, who hated all the attention he got, who only wanted to have a normal, quiet school life, was forced to suffer accusations about him being in league with Voldemort when that monster was the one who killed his parents. While Alex was able to live a semi-normal life at Hogwarts, Harry had to carry the burden of everyone watching him, trying to figure him out.

Finally, it was getting late and the four needed time to eat and Alex still had her meeting with Snape to look forward too. As they were leaving, Hagrid remembered something.

"By the way, any of you four willin' ter help me out with somethin' on Saturday mornin'?" Hagrid asked pleadingly.

"Sure Hagrid!" they said as enthusiastically as they could. If it involved the Blast-Ended Skrewts though, they weren't too keen to help out.

Before Alex knew it, she had finished her dessert and it was time for her to go down to the dungeons alone. She took her time, stopping to talk to Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, but finally she couldn't put it off any longer. She reached the Head of Slytherin House's office, squared her shoulders while taking a deep breath, and entered.

Malfoy and Snape were talking when she entered and stopped immediately. Thoughts raced through Alex's mind. What was Malfoy doing here? Had he blamed something on Alex that she didn't do? Was that why he was being nice to her, to butter her up for this? Well, she would still have a few choice words with him after this, nothing could stop that.

"I'm glad you finally joined us Miss Ratcliff," Snape sneered, "Have a seat." Alex sat down in the chair in front of his desk next to Malfoy, keeping her head held high and composing herself. "You are a remarkable Potions student."

"Thank you sir," Alex said icily. Where was this going?

"I've noticed that the potions we are brewing in class seem much too simple for someone of your standards," Snape continued, an evil smile playing his lips, "So I have decided to give you and Mr. Malfoy more complex potions so that you are not entirely bored during my class.

"Unfortunately, I cannot give you them during the regular period because that would be unfair to the other students,"

_Since when did you care about fairness?_ Alex thought savagely, but kept this to herself.

"So you and Mr. Malfoy will be spending you Friday evenings working together on the potions I assign you," said Snape. Alex now realized why he had been smiling, he knew this would be painful for her. Having to work with a partner was bad enough, but Malfoy? That wasn't just pure torture, it was cruel and unusual punishment!

"You're joking," said Alex, once she found her voice, which was somewhere within her stomach, "I can't work with him!"

"And why not?" Snape asked, clearly enjoying watching Alex's struggle.

"Do you really want me to say why?" Alex muttered under her breath, but said aloud, "Because we hate each other! We'll be at each others' throats the entire time! Leave us for a few seconds and one, if not both, of us'll be dead!"

"I have Mr. Malfoy's word that no harm will come to you and he will listen to whatever advice you give him," Snape said, "And I need you to do the same." Alex was silent, staring at him furiously so he added, "This is your chance to brew more interesting things besides wart removers. I see the fire in your eyes when I mention we'll be doing something complex, and the disappointment when it turns out to be quite simple for you. I can assure you, the potions during your hours here will be extremely challenging. It will take several weeks, maybe even months, until it will be completed. Maybe I was wrong, maybe you're just not up to the challenge."

"I'll do it," said Alex quickly. No one ever even insinuated she was scared of a challenge.

Snape nodded, "And you need to assure Mr. Malfoy that no harm will come to him, and that you will listen to whatever advice he may offer."

"I promise-"

"Tell him, not me."

"Fine!" Alex snarled and turned to Malfoy, "I promise I won't jinx you and or punch you in the face when you annoy the crap out of me. I'll also listen to the advice you give me, but that does not mean I'll take it."

Malfoy turned to Snape and shrugged, as if to say "Good enough for me".

"Thank you Mr. Malfoy, go back to your common room." Malfoy left and Alex was left alone with Snape. They weren't done yet.

"I believe you remember the little chat we had last year about learning more advanced spells, am I right?" Alex gave a curt nod. "This year, Professor Dumbledore has insisted that you learn them, whether you want to or not. You will come to my office every Thursday evening at eight for your lesson and they will start this week."  
>"And do you have permission from my guardian?" Alex asked quietly.<p>

"Your uncle has already said-"

"My uncle lets me live with him," Alex interrupted, "But he's not my only guardian, not anymore. Have you talked to my father about this?"

It took a few seconds for Snape to realize what Alex meant. His eyes grew angry but all he said was, "It had been discussed and he, though forcedly, has agreed to let me teach you, under the condition that Dumbledore checks on you once a month to make sure everything is going smoothly."

"If my dad says it's all right, then I'll do it," Alex said, making a mental note to thank her father for having Dumbledore check in.

She was dismissed and Alex ran up to the common room. She saw her friends sitting by the fire doing homework, looking relieved when they saw her.

"About time," Ron said, "What's up? What did he say?"

"Nothing," said Alex as she pulled a quill and ink bottle towards her and began outlining for one of her essays, "I need to meet with him every Thursday at eight and every Friday after dinner."

"Why?" her friends shouted together, causing the common room to stare, but either her friends didn't notice or didn't care.

"Alex, you're the best potions brewer in the whole grade, maybe even the whole school!" said Ron angrily, "Why is he having you meet with him?"

"He's having me do extra work," Alex said calmly, watching her friends astonished faces. They thought that he was having her meet with him because she was doing badly in his classes.

"Extra work!" Harry exclaimed, with a snort, "Please, that's just his excuse. He's only doing this so he can either cause you suffering or because you're the only thing that's pretty in that gloomy dungeon of his."

"Well thank you, Harry," said Alex with an embarrassed smile, "But you guys don't get it, I'm working on advanced potions with Snape. Actually, I'll be working with Malfoy and I don't even think Snape'll be there."

Their mouths hit the floor. Ron started cursing furiously, saying that it was an outrage. Harry was pacing back and forth, his expression a mix of anger and thoughtfulness, as he tried to find ways for Alex to get out of the situation. Hermione was silent, her expression confused.

"Do you want to do this, Alex?" she asked her friend.

"Well," Alex started, but paused and waited for Ron to stop his ranting, "I actually want to. Listen to me, Ron! I love potions, no matter who's teaching it. This is my chance to really learn about something I love. Yes, Malfoy's going to be really annoying and yes, I do hate working with him, but if I had a choice between working with him and not working at all, I'd work with him. Who knows, maybe I'll get some dirt on him to make him stop being such a prat to us."

They spent the rest of the evening working on their essays. Alex and Hermione read over the boys' and they only had to make a few minor corrections. Finally, they were so tired and they went straight to bed.

…...

The week flew by for Alex and before she knew it, she was in the Potion Master's office practicing spells. Her face was set and her wand out, pointing it at a torn book. She was supposed to be turning it invisible without speaking, but all she could do was make it more opaque. It also didn't help that Snape was making snide comments as she worked.

"And Dumbledore thought you were amazing," he said maliciously as Alex failed to do more than allow someone to barely see through it.

"And yet, if I'm so bad, why don't you just tell me to leave?" countered Alex angrily.

"If it were up to me," Snape said coldly, "You'd be gone when you messed up the first time. I'm only doing this because Dumbledore thinks you're special."

Needless to say, Alex's first lesson did not go as well as she had hoped. She didn't leave Snape's office until ten at night and her problems were only just beginning.

The next day was the fourth year Gryffindors' first Defense Against the Dark Arts class with their new professor. Alex had heard from the other Houses that Moody was good, scared the daylights out of you, but was very good at it.

So at the last period of the day, Alex, Hermione, Ron, and Harry followed their fellow Housemates into the classroom. Alex sighed, remembering when Professor Lupin lived there and it was filled with all kinds of interesting creatures. Now, there were strange jars with ugly insects and other little creatures inside of them.

The four took their seats, the girls in the front row and the boys behind them, and began pulling out their books.

"You won't be needing those today."

Alex practically jumped out of her chair and spun around to see Mad-Eye Moody staring at her with his good eye, his other spinning around the room. She didn't know which to look at, but chose the normal one. She put her books away and sat back in her chair, waiting for the class to begin.

"I'm Professor Moody," he said curtly, "If you haven't figured it out by now, I'm your new teacher this year and only year. I'm only doing Dumbledore a favor by being here."

The class was silent, listening with rapt attention. Moody seemed to expect this and continued by going over to a black board and writing, "Unforgivable Curses" on the board in white chalk.

"I will need someone to name me one of the Unforgivable Curses, but first tell me what they are. No sense naming them if you don't know what they are."

Alex looked around and saw, for the first time, Hermione's hand was down. She seemed to be looking at the board as though if she stared hard enough, the words would disappear. Alex raised her hand slightly and both of Moody's eyes looked at her.

"You know what they are, Miss…?"

"Ratcliff," Alex said, "They're curses that are so horrible that people say they're unforgivable, meaning that you can never undo the damage inflicted. If you're caught performing an Unforgivable Curse, you get sent to Azkaban."

"Right you are," Moody said with a nod, "Now, someone give me one."

Surprisingly, Ron raised his hand and said, "The Imperius Curse."

"You're Arthur Weasley's son, aren't you?" Moody asked and Ron nodded, "Yes, your father had a tough time with that curse in the Ministry. During You-Know-Who's reign, people were put under that curse so they could be forced into leading his followers to top-secret places and such. After his downfall, all kinds of people said they only acted under the Imperius Curse, but how are you to tell the difference between those who were forced and those who acted of their own free will?"

Moody walked to a shelf and pulled down a jar with three spiders in it. Alex cocked her head to one side and watched as the professor pulled one out and set it on the table.

"_Imperio!_" he said and the spider froze. It then raised itself onto four of its legs and began to do a jig of some sort.

Alex watched horrified as some people around her laughed. All she could think was that the spider was being controlled by Moody, what would he make it do next? Throw itself over the castle wall? Drown itself?

"Funny, isn't it?" Moody said with a strange smile as though he enjoyed it, "This spider is one of the deadliest in the world and I'm the one who is controlling it. What, not so funny anymore?" he said as the class fell silent.

Moody raised his wand and the spider came gliding over to Alex's table. Hermione ducked under the table but Alex sat perfectly still, forcing herself to take deep breaths. She couldn't talk to spiders; they were arachnids and not technically considered animals. She had no way of control over this poisonous spider and that frightened her most of all.

The spider glided back to Moody's hand and he put it back into an empty jar. The class let out a sigh of relief and Moody looked up.

"Another one? Tell me your name before you say it,"

Neville raised his hand and said, "I'm Neville Longbottom. Well, there's the…the Cruciatus Curse."

"Right you are," Moody said. He pulled out another spider and said, "_Crucio!_"

Alex heard a high-pitched squeal and saw the spider writhing in pain. She felt the color drain from her face, no one was laughing now. Suddenly, Hermione's voice, though somewhat higher, broke the stunned silence.

"Stop it! Can't you see it's bothering him?"

Alex looked and saw Neville, who was shaking and as white as a sheet. Moody saw this too and stopped, putting the spider away. He turned to Hermione, who was shaking also.

"Can you name the last one, Miss…?"

"Granger," whispered Hermione and she shook her head. For the first time in her life, Hermione was refusing to answer a teacher's question in class.

Moody nodded and pulled out the last spider. He placed it on the desk and Alex watched in numb shock as it tried to scramble away but not before Moody said, "_Avada Kedavra!_" There was a rushing noise and a flash of green and the spider moved no more.

"The killing curse," said Moody, turning his eyes back to his class, "No way to save them afterwards, and no way to stop it. Only two people have ever survived the killing curse and they're both here in this room."

Alex went wide-eyed and looked at Moody. So he did know about her and her mother! But he had just told the entire class that there was someone else. Dumbledore wanted it to be a secret!

"Professor," said Seamus Finnegan nervously, "You mean one survived, you mean just Harry."

"No, I mean two," Moody said, looking at Alex. He frowned at Alex's expression of terror, "Don't you all know that two families were killed that night You-Know-Who lost his powers? I thought everyone knew the story that the Ratcliffs were staying with the Potters that night."

All eyes were fastened on Alex. She felt her face get hot and resisted the urge to run out of the room…and the urge to vomit. The bell rang and she sped off, not even grabbing her books. She ran all the way to the common room and up to her dormitory. Once in there, she pulled her bed curtains shut and sat on her bed. By now, people would be talking and word would spread like wildfire. Alex Ratcliff, one of Harry's closest friends, was there the night his parents died. Questions would begin to form. Did she remember anything? Why had she, only a baby, survived with Harry? Did she have a scar somewhere too?

Alex heard the door open and footsteps came over to her bed.

"Alex?" It was Hermione.

She opened her curtains and Hermione sat on her bed. Even though they didn't talk, Alex felt slightly better.

"Go to Dumbledore," Hermione said with a touch of venom in her words, "He should have known better than to go against Dumbledore's wishes. There's a very good reason why he didn't want your story involved in all this."

"And what is that?" Alex asked. Hermione opened her mouth, but closed it and Alex sighed, "There's nothing Dumbledore can do, unless he wants to wipe the entire school's memory. It's better this way, now I don't have to hide anymore. I don't have to pretend I'm fine when my scar is burning like a branding iron. Come on, let's head down to dinner, I'm famished."

"You sure you want to go down there?" Hermione asked nervously.

"I'll have to face them eventually," said Alex as they went, "Might as well be all at once."

Harry and Ron were in the Great Hall when the girls entered. The hall fell silent as they walked to their table, everyone staring at them. Alex stopped and looked around at everyone, a small smile on her face.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," she called out good naturedly.

Everyone turned back to their food, still sneaking glances once in a while. Alex tried to pretend she didn't notice the sneers from the other houses or the whispers and pointing fingers. She was actually quite glad to go down to the dungeons.

"At least I'll only have one person staring at me the entire time," she told the others as she left.

_Author's Note: Uh oh, the secret is out! What did you think of this chapter? Like, dislike, don't really care? All thoughts are appreciated, as always. ;)_

_For some reason, FanFiction isn't letting me respond to your reviews. Hopefully that means their fixing it...anyway, I thought until this is fixed that I would respond to you at the end of the chapter:_

_To _cocogirl198:_Thank you so much for your review! I'm glad you're enjoying all the plot twists. As for who Alex ends up with, you'll just have to wait and see...hehe! ;)_

_To _Fruityloops87_: That's great that you're enjoying the story so far. I hope you continue to. Thanks for your review!_

_To _Are you calling me crazy?: _Hopefully this chapter was all you hoped for and more! And don't worry, I'm super busy too with graduation and all the stuff that comes with it. I hate that I can't update as regularly as before. :( As for uploading your story, I had trouble with that yesterday but it magically worked for me today. Idk what's going on; I can't even PM people and it's bothering me. Anyway, I hope your Document Manager is working or will work soon and sorry I can't help you as much this time around. Thanks for your review! :)_

_Thank you to all who reviewed and have been reviewing. Of course, thank you to those who have me on alert and in their favorites. You all are amazing! :D_


	10. Chapter 8 New Friendships Formed

_Author's Note: I own Alex and that's about it really._

Chapter 8 New Friendships Formed

Alex went down to the damp dungeons and opened the door to one of the classrooms. There was a set of instructions laying out on the table with some background information on the potion. She picked up the parchment and saw it was the Polyjuice Potion. Smiling gleefully, she sat down and began getting the ingredients from the storeroom and setting up her cauldron. She had just started getting the fire going when Malfoy came in. Alex handed him the parchment and he read it as she got the water boiling.

"Sounds difficult," he said, handing it back.

"It sounds worse than it is," Alex said casually.

"Some of this stuff I haven't even heard of," Malfoy continued, looking at the ingredients, "Boomslang skin, moonstone, bicon horn…"

"Look, this is boomslang skin," she said with a hint of annoyance, holding up a red-brown substance, "This is moonstone because of that silvery glow it has, and this is a bicon horn, see how long it is?"

"So, Snape was right about you, you really are an expert potions brewer," Malfoy said with raised eyebrows.

"No, I just know my ingredients," Alex returned coolly and began cutting up her roots, allowing Malfoy to add the juice of the root to the potion.

They worked in silence for an hour until Malfoy spoke.

"Rumors are flying around the school," he said in a would-be laid back tone.

"Really? Sounds fascinating," she deadpanned as she read through the information while the cauldron simmered.

"Yeah, people are saying that you and Potter were together when You-Know-Who came. They say that you're distant cousins and that you both have scars like lightning bolts."

"That's the thing about rumors," said Alex, laughing quietly, "You can never tell what is true and what isn't."

"So…are they true?"

"Well, Harry and I are not distant cousins, sorry to disappoint," she said, looking at Malfoy, "But yeah, I was there and I do have a scar like he does, though not as large."

"Do you, you know, remember anything?" he asked.

She sighed and leaned back, "Not much, just a flash of green…lots of screaming and crying…and laughter…high, cold laughter."Alex shuddered violently and added, "I don't really want to talk about this."

"Just one more thing," he said and Alex sighed but nodded reluctantly, "Where's your scar?"

Alex rolled up the sleeve of her robes and rubbed at her arm so the make-up came off. It was faded somewhat, but still plainly visible. Malfoy stared at it until she covered it up and glared at him, and they went back to work. Once they did all they could do, they began cleaning up. As they were leaving, Alex stopped.

"Hey Malfoy," she said and he turned to her, "I never got to thank you for helping me out at the World Cup. So thanks…for everything."

Malfoy smiled and left, Alex going up to the common room. She found her friends waiting for her by their spot near the fire.

"How was it?" Harry asked.

"Not bad," Alex said with a ghost of a smile, "Not bad at all."

…...

"This is disgusting!" said Ron as he held up a skrewt, "But at least I found its mouth."

He began shoving lettuce into the hole he found when the creature let out a strange, strangled noise and began writhing angrily. Ron set the skrewt down and watched as it blasted away.

"I don't think that was its mouth, Ron," said Hermione.

"You mean…EW!" Ron began wiping his hands on his robes while Alex, Harry, and Hermione roared with laughter.

"Someone give me a hand here!" Hagrid shouted.

Alex, still laughing heartily, went over and saw Hagrid tearing down a shed behind his house.

"What'cha doing Hagrid?" Alex asked, helping him rip a strip of wood off the side.

"Gettin' rid of this shed," Hagrid said grimly, "Too many memories."

Alex then realized this was Buckbeak and the other hippogriffs' shed from last year. They worked in silence, Alex trying to figure out a way to tell her friend that Buckbeak was alive and very happy, but wasn't sure how much Hagrid knew.

"I'm sure Buckbeak is fine," Alex said slowly as she ripped a board off with surprising strength, "He's a smart hippogriff."

"Too many things ta be worrin' about," said Hagrid, taking five boards off at one time, "Especially now."

"What do you mean, Hagrid?" Alex asked.

"I have to teach everyday," said Hagrid, counting off on his large fingers, "Get the grounds all ready, and then there's you four always getting' into trouble somehow."

"We don't try to," said Alex with the slightest hint of a smile, "Trouble finds us."

"Yeh mean like last year?" Hagrid asked grimly, "With Professor Lupin and all?"

"Yeah, something like that," Alex said cautiously, "You know what happened?"

"Dumbledore told me everything," said Hagrid, sitting on a tree stump and wiping his sweating forehead, "_Everything._"

"So you know about…?"

"Yup," Hagrid said with a smile, "He'd be real proud of yeh if he could see yeh all year."

"Let's hope he doesn't try," said Alex, her smile fading a little, "I want him to stay out of sight until I can prove he's innocent."

"I know, I hope so too," Hagrid said, stretched, and began taking boards off like they were made of dough, "So how are things up at the castle?"

Alex shrugged. Word had gotten around faster than ever. People were clogging up corridors to get a look at Alex as she had left the castle, whispering as she passed and fingers pointed. She felt like something on display at a zoo. It was worse than when people had found out she could talk to animals.

"Dumbledore was angry with Mad-Eye," Hagrid said consolingly, "Said he had no right to have done that. Don't know what's gotten in to Mad-Eye, he's mostly very watchful of what he says. Must've thought everyone knew."

"It would have come out sooner or later," sighed Alex, "This hasn't turned out to be a great start of the year."

"I heard about Snape's lessons too," said Hagrid, "Word has it you're a real master, might give him a run for his money, so they say."

"I wish my training was as easy as the potions," Alex said heavily, "I can't concentrate as well with that…person standing over me and breathing down my neck, criticizing my every move."

"Seems to me that yeh've been gettin' training in things yeh have a knack fer," said Hagrid, a smile creeping onto his bearded face, "An' when yeh have a knack fer somethin', yeh'll be fine."

"Thanks Hagrid," said Alex with a smile.

"Did I mention how busy I've been lately?"

"Yeah…why?" asked Alex slowly.

"Yeh've got a knack fer creatures, don't yeh?" Hagrid asked and Alex nodded, "How 'bout havin' some lessons with me? Yeh can help me 'round the grounds on Saturday mornings."

"I'd love to Hagrid!" Alex said happily and hugged her giant friend.

They worked on the shed until lunch, the four politely refusing lunch at Hagrid's by saying that they weren't hungry, and went up to the castle to eat. Afterwards, they did their homework in the library. Alex was struggling through her Arithmancy while Hermione tried to explain it.

"No Alex, you put that number over there-"

"But why?" said Alex furiously, "I thought Professor Nellie said to put it here!"

"That's only when you have…Can I help you?" Hermione's tone turned to ice.

Alex looked up and saw Malfoy watching them.

"I need Ratcliff for a minute," he said.

Alex got up and followed Malfoy over to the Potion's section of the library. They stopped and Malfoy took down a book, skimmed through the pages, and showed it to her. Alex looked down and saw it was the instructions for the Polyjuice Potion she and the others had used two years ago. Along the margins were notes she had written in pencil, so she could erase, but never did.

"You want a second opinion on our potion?" Alex asked, keeping her face and voice calm.

"Those notes look a lot like yours," Malfoy said suspiciously, "And, if you did brew it before, it would explain why you already knew the ingredients and barely looked at the directions while you brewed."

"Aren't you observant?" said Alex sarcastically, rolling her eyes, "I know the ingredients because I read. You should try it sometime, it'll help expand your tiny little brain. And I don't look at the directions as often because I know what I'm doing!"

"Because you've brewed it before!"

"No, because I've _read _it before," said Alex. She wasn't lying; she had to read the instructions before brewing. "Those notes are mine because I wrote in stuff I _thought_ would make it better. Now, is that all you wanted to talk about or are you going to keep on trying to get me in trouble?"

"I don't want to get you in trouble," Malfoy said quietly, "That's why I'm doing this, I'm warning you. Snape's seen this and he thinks you and your friends were up to something before. I'm trying to help."

"Why?" Alex asked angrily, bringing her voice down too, "And don't give me that whole 'making up for all those years' crap. You never do anything unless there's something to gain from it. What can you possible gain from helping me?"

"Your trust, your friendship," said Malfoy. Alex would have laughed if his face wasn't so serious. "I've realized that I was a jerk, I know that now. We have a lot more in common than you think we do. We like potions, we live in the same neighborhood, our houses were made by the same architect, we're even in the same classes. But if you want me to help you, I need to know the truth. Did you ever brew the Polyjuice Potion before?"

Alex just stood there, her mouth slightly open in shock. Malfoy wanted to be friends? They had things in common? Realizing she had to answer, she tried to formulate syllables.

"No, I never brewed it before."

Malfoy nodded, but his face showed he didn't believe her, and said, "Then I'll see you later. Good luck with the Arithmancy homework."

Alex headed back to her friends and sat down in a trance. Thoughts were spinning and she didn't even hear the others until they shook her.

"What?" she asked, looking around.

"You okay, Alex?" Harry asked, "You barely even noticed us when you came over here."

"Did he do something to you?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"No," said Alex, shaking her head and pulling over her Arithmancy work, "He didn't do anything, that was the weird part."

...

September flew by like the leaves outside the castle walls. Alex really enjoyed her time with Hagrid as he showed her different creatures. She was learning a lot and Hagrid was definitely a better instructor when it was one-on-one training. Lessons with Draco continued and it was as if the dungeon was a neutral zone. They barely talked outside of discussing the proper method of brewing a potion and asking each other to pass an ingredient or so. Even though they didn't talk, Alex knew that something was changing between them. It wasn't a big change or anything like that. But the fact that they could be in the same room together without biting each others' heads off was definitely a huge progress.

She only wished she was making some progress in her time with Snape. Sadly, all she ever felt after those lessons was annoyance and fatigue. Alex had returned from a particularly grueling lesson with Snape and saw people gathered around the bulletin board, talking anxiously.

"What now?" she asked Fred as she tried to read.

"Dumbledore wants all the students to be in the Great Hall at eight tomorrow morning before classes start." Fred said.

"Is someone in trouble?" Hermione asked, coming over to them and staring accusingly at the twins.

"If they are, it's not us," George said with his hands up.

So the next morning, Alex, Harry, Hermione, and Ron went down to breakfast at their normal time and saw the Great Hall had new colored banners. There was light blue with two wands crossing each other on the right side. To the left was a dark colored banner that seemed to be made of a heavier material. People around them seemed to know what they meant, even Ron did.

"The blue is Beauxbaton's school color and seal," Ron said, "They're a school in France somewhere. The dark banner is for Durmstrang, no one knows exactly where that is. They don't like to talk about their school much, my dad told me. He said that he worked with someone from there and all he could get out of him was that it is very cold where they are."

Before Alex could ask anymore questions, Dumbledore stood up and greeted the school with a smile.

"I assume everyone here is wondering why we have the banners of other wizarding schools in our Great Hall? No need to worry, we are not combining schools, we are competing against them in the Tri-Wizard Tournament."

Gasps and cheers erupted and Dumbledore waited patiently until everyone was silent.

"For those of you who know about it, I ask you to still pay attention because the rules have been changed since your parents have explained it to you. The Tri-Wizard Tournament is a friendly competition between the three largest wizarding schools in Europe: Beauxbatons Academy, Durmstrang, and Hogwarts. It takes place every few years, but this is the first time in a long time since we have actually done it. The rules have been fixed for the safety of the students. To tell you about them, I introduce you all to Mr. Barty Crouch."

A side door opened and Mr. Crouch came in, looking a little thinner than before. Hermione noticed to and gave a satisfied sniff and muttered, "Mustn't know how to cook without his elf."

"Good morning everyone," Mr. Crouch said in his business tone, "Over the years, the Tri-Wizard Tournament has been for promoting national school unity. However, it has not always been the safest way of doing so. This year, my fellow Ministry officials and myself have been working very hard for your safety and the safety of those you love."

Alex turned to her friends and raised her eyebrows questioningly. This sounded like it wasn't very safe before, like people actually died during the competition.

"The rules are as follows: There will be only one witch or wizard per school so that there will be three players. This is why it is called Tri-Wizard, three wizards and three schools. There will also be three tasks the contestants must go through and they will be difficult, testing not only your magical skills, but your metal and physical skills as well. The winner will be the one with the most points at the end of the three tasks and will receive a thousand galleons, the Tri-Wizard Cup, and glory for their school."

He paused and looked at all the students. Everyone was listening eagerly, each wanting the glory, and the money too.

"There is an age limit this year. No one under the age of seventeen by Halloween may enter."

Angry shouts filled the Great Hall. Alex sighed, it would have been great to enter but she was nowhere near the age limit. Fred and George however, who would be seventeen in April, were furious. They were the last to stop booing, and only stopped because McGonagall gave them a withering look.

"Thank you Mr. Crouch," Dumbledore said and a very small applause filled the hall as Mr. Crouch left through the side door again without a wave of good-bye. "On Halloween, we will have our feast as usual, but with a few special guests. The members competing for Beauxbaton's and Durmstrang will be joining us for the year and I know you all will make them feel at home here.

"You will have all Halloween day, for those who are eligible, to sign up for the Tournament. Details about how to sign up will be told at lunch on Halloween, after the other students arrive. You will only have your first two classes that day and after your second period, you will drop your bags off in your common room and go out onto the grounds to await our guests. Now, go off and learn from your teachers!"

All day, people were talking about the tournament. It was a relief for Alex because people were talking about that more than her. She managed to get through the entire day without having to use her Invisibility Necklace to avoid the stares and pointing. Finally, she headed down to the dungeons and found not Malfoy, but Snape waiting for her.

"Until Mr. Malfoy comes in, I need to discuss something with you. Amazingly, you have completed all the training necessary for the next part of our lessons. Starting next week, I will be teaching you the art of Occlumency and Legilimency. I can see you have not the faintest idea what I am talking about," Snape said, his lip curling, "Occlumency is protecting your mind from invaders while Legilimency is using your mind to invade others'."

"So…I'm going to learn how to look into people's minds?" Alex asked, "Isn't that private stuff?"

"It is important to learn," Snape said coldly, "Dumbledore insists you learn it. It may come to be useful, learning what people think about."

"The mind is the only place where people can think whatever they want without others knowing," said Alex, "I don't want to invade their privacy. If they think to themselves that I'm an idiot, great for them! I don't want to learn Legilimency. You can tell Dumbledore that I don't believe in reading things that aren't meant to be read."

"You foolish girl!" spat Snape angrily, "Legilimency isn't all about reading minds, you can use it to your advantage. You can have the upper hand on someone."

Alex just stared back at him, her eyes fiery. Snape gave her a malicious smile and muttered something. Suddenly, Alex felt pressure in her head. It got harder and harder until Alex had to screw up her eyes to fight it. In her mind's eye, she saw a metal door being forced open and a flood of memories coming through.

_Her grandparents' dead faces, their bodies being lowered into the grave, Fluffy growling viciously at them, Harry being strangled by Quirrell, _Alex fell to her knees as she tried desperately to close her mind, _the Basilisk's voice in the walls, Lupin transforming, her pain when she thought her father was going to the dementors._

"What's going on in here?"

Snape's concentration slipped and Alex used that to force him out and to shut her mind. She opened her eyes and found herself on her knees with Snape standing over her and Malfoy by the door, looking from Snape to Alex with anger and fear. Alex realized she was shaking horribly and stood, leaning on the table for support. Snape gave her a look of deepest loathing and swept to the door. Just before leaving, he turned back.

"I'll speak to the Headmaster about this." He closed the door with a _BANG_ and Alex looked at Malfoy. Her knees buckled and she fell. She braced herself for the cold flagstone, but found she never hit it. Malfoy had run over and caught her before she hit the ground.

"What the bloody hell did he do to you?" he said as he helped her into a chair and got a cup of water.

"Nothing," said Alex, her voice shaking just as much as her body was and she knew he wouldn't buy it.

"Nothing?" Malfoy said angrily as he brought her water over, "I walk in there and find you on your knees, shaking, while he's standing over you! He obviously did something because I've never seen you shake like this before."

"And you care why?" Alex snapped, eyes aglow with an internal fire, "For the last three years, you have never cared if I've gotten hurt. Hell, I bet you've secretly enjoyed it!"

"Can't a guy be nice?" asked Malfoy wearily.

"Nice, you? Oh that's a laugh!" snarled Alex with an eye roll.

"Look, I know you don't believe me when I say I just want to try and mend things between us. But even so, can you at least enjoy the fact that I'm not making your life a living hell?"

"You never made my life hell," she said with a glare, "I can handle anything you say or do to me."

"Nevertheless, if you can't understand why yet, at least just sit back and enjoy it. So," he said, returning the conversation back to its original topic, "Are you going to tell me what Professor Snape was doing?"

"I…I don't want to talk about it," she whispered.

Malfoy opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it and began preparing the potion while Alex tried to calm herself down. What Snape just did was like last year during her detention, only worse. He chose all the horrible memories in her life and played them before her eyes, making her relive the pain, sorrow, and fear. Now more than ever, she never wanted to learn how to do that, only how to defend herself from it. Once she was sure she wouldn't fall over again, Alex stood up and helped her partner with the potion. They worked in silence the entire time and as they cleaned, Alex thinking about what Malfoy had said and done over the last month. It wasn't until they had finished and were leaving that Alex spoke.

"Thanks, by the way," she said before he opened the door, "If you hadn't come in and stopped…it, I don't know what would have happened."

He just nodded turned to leave. Feeling like she wasn't finished, she spoke again.

"See you tomorrow, Draco."

He stopped and spun around, a strange look on his face. Alex just stood there, trying not to laugh at him. He looked totally shocked.

"You…You just called me by my first name," he said, obviously taken aback.

"Yeah, well, after all you've done for me, I think you deserve it. I may not get why you're acting like this, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to enjoy not being tortured by you and your cronies," she said with a shrug, "Unless you want me to call you Malfoy, that is."

"No," he said shaking his head and grinning, "Draco's fine."

"Good-bye Draco."

"Good-bye Alex."

She felt like she was ten times lighter and happier as she went to bed that night.

_Author's Note: So…who's enjoying the Alex/Draco relationship so far? I know it seems like they became friends kind of quickly, but a month had passed without Draco being a complete asshole. If that bothers you, I apologize and you can just imagine that it happened at a slower rate. :P_

_Since my review reply is still down, let me get back to my reviewers:_

Azuresilver:_ I know, Alex really had to deal with a lot of crap. Thanks for your review!_

0Goddess Nyx0:_ The purpose is just so that his two best students are semi-challenged. Sadly, he's not planning anything for them. I like the way you think though! :D Yeah, Alex really hates all the attention but other things will happen so that the attention will be taken off of her. ;) Thanks for your review!_

Madscientist128:_ Haha, thanks hun! I'm so glad you liked this chapter but there are many more to come. Hopefully you'll enjoy the others as much as you enjoyed the last one. I know, Alex has it pretty rough with those Slytherins, huh? Thanks for your review!_

Natsuki-chan2912:_ No, I'm not planning on Alex competing with Harry. I had thought about it when I first wrote it, but I decided that would be too much. Hogwarts already has two champions. Can't be too greedy, can we? ;) And I'm sorry to say that Alex and Draco won't be getting together anytime soon. They move…extremely…slow. However, I really like that idea of Snape walking in on them. I might write a one-shot about it, obviously an AU for my AU story. I'm so glad you're enjoying the story and thanks for your review!_

Are you calling me crazy?:_ Haha, I'm glad you liked my disclaimer. I like to make them fun but sometimes I just run out of ideas or am too tired to think of them, since I update at night before I go to bed. Yay, I'm so glad you figured out how to fix your Document Manager! I can't wait to read the next chapter of your story! And yeah, I'm a senior. It's awesome and sad at the same time because I'm excited for college and all but my high school is really close-knit. Anyway, thanks for your review!_

ZebraPotter18:_ Aw, thank you so much! I hope to hear from you as the story goes along. Thanks for your review!_

GinnyWho:_ Hooray, you're reading the prequel! Let me know what you think of it please! Thank you for your review and I'm glad you like Alex!_

_Finally, since this A/N is long enough, I'd like to dedicate this chapter to my friend _madscientist128_! Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter and all of the fun that Alex is going through. :D_

_Please follow in the footsteps of the lovely reviewers above and take the time to review this chapter. Thank you! :D_


	11. Chapter 9 Apologies and Attitudes

_Author's Note: If you honestly think I'm J.K Rowling, you haven't been paying attention to the last how-ever-many disclaimers I've written. And that's just sad. Warning: Alex does curse a little bit in this chapter. I told you that I would warn you ahead of time so here I am!_

Chapter 9 Apologizes and Attitudes

It was Alex's first time in the Forbidden Forest and she wasn't enjoying it much. Even with Hagrid and Fang by her side, she felt like she had no right there, that she was trespassing on private property. Hagrid had assured her that he still felt like that to this day, but this didn't help her much.

She and Hagrid were looking for new plants for his Blast-Ended Skrewts to eat in the Forest. As she was looking at a white leafed plant, thundering hoof beats came over and Alex backed away, looking into the wise, distant eyes of a centaur.

"Evening Firenze!" called Hagrid jovially as he came running over to Alex, putting a heavy hand on her shoulder and her knees wobbled, "I see yeh've met me new helper. Alex, this is Firenze, one o' the centaurs in the forest."

"Are they're a lot of centaurs here, sir?" Alex asked Firenze.

"There are, my child," he said in a calm, dreamy sort of voice that made Alex feel like she was on a beach, listening to the waves crash on the shore, "Many of us have been born and raised among these trees. The others will not like this, Hagrid."

Alex realized he had switched not only to Hagrid, but his tone was sharper in warning and slight fear.

"What do yeh mean?" Hagrid asked, his tone changing as well and becoming more ferocious.

"My herd has seen the girl, they know who she is, it is not safe for her here," Firenze said earnestly, "It is written in the stars that she is destined for greatness and must be protected."

Alex opened her mouth to ask what was going on when more hoof beats pounded into the area and she saw the rest of Firenze's "herd". There must have been fifty of them, all with the body of a man and the legs and back of a horse. One of them, who looked wilder, like a Mustang that resisted all means of domestication, trotted forward and reared up right near Hagrid and Alex. Hagrid pulled her back and stared angrily at the centaur.

"Bane," he growled, "Aren't I allowed to walk through the forest with company? Must yeh scare them half outta their minds 'cause yeh feel like it?"

"She is unwelcome here," the centaur named Bane said, "We only let you pass because you have been kind to us."

"An' how do yeh know she'll be kind too?" Hagrid roared angrily, "Yeh don't rule the entire forest Bane, others live here too!"

"Hagrid," Alex whispered, "I wouldn't mess with them if I were you."

"The child is right Hagrid," Bane said and Alex heard the stretching of bows and saw arrows pointed at them.

"Before we leave," Alex said, "Can I ask why you all seem to hate me? I've never met you in my life, yet you think me a threat."

"We do not fear you," Bane said with an evil laugh, "We just do not wish to have to deal with another Black in our forest. You look surprised, do not fear, we read it in the stars long before you were born."

"Child, the stars never lie," an old centaur said, coming out from the group. He reminded Alex of the centaur version of Dumbledore with his white beard and blue eyes, "If you can read the stars, all of earth's wisdom is yours. In the stars, you and your friends will overcome many battles, and lose many of those you love. But never give up, for you are destined for great things."

"Now be gone, before we make you leave," Bane said.

Hagrid grabbed Alex's shoulders and steered her away from the herd. Once they were out of the forest, he took her into his hut and began muttering angrily as he made some tea.

"Hagrid," said Alex, nervous because she had never seen him so angry, "What did they mean when they said they didn't want another Black running around? Did my father do something to them?"

"Ask him, not me," said Hagrid grumpily as he set down a plate of rock cakes and two mugs of tea the size of tankards, "I don't understand 'em at all, why punish the daughter for what the father did? He may 'ave done nuthin', those centaurs spend too much time stargazin' instead o' looking around them. All yer father did probably was get too close to their territory boundaries."

Nonetheless, Alex wrote to her father that night asking about it. Whenever she and Hagrid worked together, they never did it in the forest.

…...

The weeks came and went until it was the day before Halloween. Alex was working on her essay for Binns when a little first year tapped her shoulder.

"Professor Moody wants to talk to you," the boy said nervously. Alex recognized him as Colin Creevey's brother, Dennis.

Alex cocked her head to one side and said good-bye to her friends. She left the portrait hole and was walking when a voice made her stop.

"There you are!" Mad-Eye Moody was limping toward her, both his eyes staring right at her.

He gestured her to follow him into an empty classroom and to sit on a desk. She did so, eyeing Moody warily. What was this all about?

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you," he said, "I didn't realize that it was a big secret."

"Oh, it's fine sir," said Alex, taken aback, "It wouldn't have been long before someone found out and told."

"I know, I just feel bad about ruining your peace. It must get frustrating having everyone looking for your scar, when Harry's is so visible. Do you mind if I see it?" he asked.

Alex rolled up her sleeve and showed him her upper arm. He hobbled over and got his blue eye really close to it.

"Yes," he said quietly, almost to himself, "Just like Potter's." He looked up at her and Alex got a close look at the scars on his face that deformed him. "You excited for the tournament?"

"Yes sir," replied Alex, trying her best to smile, "There are so many great people who could be the champion. How do they decide?"

"I can't tell you," Moody said, moving towards the door and holding it for her, "But I will say that it'll be quite a show."

When Alex returned to her common room, Monty was sitting on a table with a letter in his beak.

_"Your father sends his love with the letter,"_ Monty said as he dropped the letter and flew through the open window to the Owlry. Alex ripped the envelope opened and read the letter to herself.

_Dear Alex,_

_I received your letter and you have no idea how infuriated I was. Those centaurs can hold a grudge all right, but their qualms are with me and not you. During my seventh year, I received my flying motorcycle for Christmas. One of the first times I rode it, I accidentally crashed into their land during some special festival. Since then, they could never forgive me. All the same, it probably is best you stay out of the forest. That dream you had at the beginning of the summer is a warning that Voldemort is up to no good. Hogwarts will keep you safe but still be careful. I know that is hard for you, it always was for your mother and I. Say hello to everyone for me!_

_Loving and miss you a lot,_

_Orion_

Alex smiled and folded the letter up. She knew it would have been a dumb reason for the centaurs kicking her out of the forest. And it was for the best that she didn't go in, that place gave her the creeps.

…...

The next day, Alex only had to go to Care of Magical Creatures and Charms. Once they were finished, the four Gryffindors put their bags in their dormitory, grabbed their cloaks to keep them warm in the cool October air, and went out onto the grounds. There they lined up in their houses and by went back by year. The noon bell sounded and they waited…and waited…and waited. Alex looked at her watch and saw it was twelve thirty, her stomach telling her it was time to eat.

"Look!" a small Ravenclaw boy shouted, pointing at the sky.

Alex didn't see anything at first, but then saw a small dot in the sky getting larger and larger. It was a carriage being pulled by flying horses. She watched in awe as it landed with surprising grace and came to a halt by the oak doors. Students in shimmering light blue robes came out of the carriage and lined up by the doors, turning back to the carriage. Alex looked back and saw a very large woman emerge. She was almost as tall as Hagrid, maybe even taller, with dark hair and eyes. Dumbledore approached her and kissed her big, outstretched hand.

"Madame Maxime," he said happily, "I hope your trip was enjoyable?"

"Ah Dumbledore," said Madame Maxime in a heavy French accent, "Zit is 'ard to enjoy oneself on ze jurney to such a onderful place as Ogwarts! Where zis ze other school?"

"On their way I assume," Dumbledore said, leading the woman up the stairs by the oak doors, "You may wait inside if you wish."

"We will wait here for zem to come," Madame Maxime said, "But where shall I keep ze horses?"

"Our gamekeeper Hagrid will care for them," said the Headmaster and Hagrid stepped forward and gave a little bow.

"You know 'Agrid," Madame Maxime said, staring down at Hagrid in his heavy fur coat, "Zey only drink ze finest French wine."

"I'll make sure they get it, don' yeh worry madam," he said with a smile and led the horses off.

Alex turned her eyes to the sky, hoping to catch another sign of the Durmstrang students. A voice drifted into her ears, but not a human voice.

_"Hey, watch where you steer that thing!" _the giant squid said and Alex stood on her tiptoes to see the lake. Others who saw her did the same.

Bubbles rose on the smooth surface of the lake and suddenly, the bow of a ship jutted out of the water. Several people gasped in alarm as the ship surfaced and docked along the shore. A ramp was sent out and the Durmstrang students came ashore.

They were all in heavy furs and dark, woolen robes. In the front was a man with a small beard and goatee, all jet black. Next to him was a boy older than Alex with a crooked nose, as though it had been broken a lot. Alex stared at this boy for awhile until she realized who it was.

"Krum," she whispered, "Viktor Krum is here! I had no idea he went to Durmstrang!"

"Hey, do you think he'll give out autographs?" Ron asked excitedly, using his height to his advantage as he strained his neck to get a better look.

"Oh honestly," said Hermione, shaking her head annoyed, "He's just a Quidditch player."

"Just a Quidditch player?" said Ron and Harry together.

"Hermione," said Alex calmly as the boys stuttered to find words, "He's the best Seeker in the world. All the teams want him and he's not even out of school yet."

"Igor Karkarof," Dumbledore said warmly and shook hands with the black bearded man, "Glad to see you again."

"It is a pleasure," Karkarof said in a throaty accent, "This is my star pupil, Viktor Krum."

"Very nice to meet you, Mr. Krum," Dumbledore said as he shook hands with the Bulgarian Seeker, "I heard your performance at the World Cup was quite outstanding. Well, now that we're all gathered out in the cold, let us enter the warmth of the castle and enjoy a delicious feast!"

Alex followed the crowd into the Great Hall and took her usual place at the Gryffindor table. Much to Ron's disappointment, the Durmstrang students sat with the Slytherins while the Beauxbaton's sat with the Ravenclaws. When the food came up, Alex noticed that there were several new dishes she had never seen before. One was a plum pudding with strange, long things mixed in. Alex dared Fred to try it and he spat it back out at once.

"It's a mixture of squid tentacles and pudding," Fred shuddered, "Who eats that stuff?"

"Apparently they do," Harry said, nodding at the Ravenclaw table where the Beauxbaton students couldn't get enough of the squid pudding. Just as they were looking, one of them stood up and came over. All the guys were practically drooling as she walked by. Her hair was pure blonde and came down to her hips. She had bright blue eyes and very pale skin. She reminded Alex of the vela from the World Cup, but there was something more human about here.

"Are you going to eat zat?" she asked.

Seeing as none of the guys, minus Harry but he was gazing off somewhere else, were staring at the girl with no intention of talking, both Alex and Hermione lifted the bowl and handed it to her.

"Here you go," Alex said in a friendly tone, "We're not much of a squid crowd."

The girl looked down at her haughtily and walked off with her nose in the air. Alex rolled her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest.

"What a stuck-up bitch! Who does she think she is: the Queen of Sheba? What?" said Alex angrily as the boys looked over at her mutinously, "Did you see that look when I said we didn't like squid? I thought she was trying to melt the skin off my face! Just because she's got a foreign accent and has good looks, doesn't mean she has to be such a snob."

The Weasleys were still staring at the vela girl while Harry seemed very much distracted by something, or someone, at the Ravenclaw table. Once the plates were cleared, Professor Dumbledore stood up and Filch, the caretaker, came in carrying a large wooden box. The students all stared eagerly and curiously as it was set at the front of the hall for all to see.

"This is our unbiased judge of the champions!" said Dumbledore proudly. Alex didn't think a person could fit in there until Dumbledore raised his wand and the box vanished, revealing a worn goblet. Suddenly, the goblet began to glow a light blue and fire rose from within.

"I give you…The Goblet of Fire!"

Everyone applauded and Dumbledore raised his hands for silence.

"Those of you who are the age of seventeen or over may enter your name into the Goblet of Fire. All you have to do is write your name and your school, and place it into the flames. Tomorrow evening, we will meet in this hall again and see who the goblet has chosen. I must warn you now, those who are too young to enter I beseech you not to try and do so. There are these rules for a reason, I promise you that. So good-night and good luck to all!"

Alex and Hermione returned to their dormitory and set up a homework study session on the floor. As Alex came out of the bathroom, Hermione was waiting on Alex's bed.

"Wouldn't it be awesome to be in the tournament?" Alex asked, flopping herself on her bed and smiling, "Glory for Hogwarts and my name on that cup."

"It'll be dangerous though," Hermione said, "Remember what Crouch said? They will not only test the champions' magical skills, but their physical and mental ones too."

"I wish the four of us could compete together as a team," said Alex, sitting up and leaning against a post, "We've taken on a lot worse than a few challenges you know."

"We definitely have," said Hermione, looking at the window, but not really seeing it.

"What was up with Harry at the lunch feast?" Alex asked, causing Hermione to jump.

"Didn't you see?" Hermione asked with a mischievous smile that Alex usually wore, "He was staring at Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker he played last year."

"No way!" said Alex with a laugh, "She's a year older than him! Our little Harry's gotta crush!"

"Don't say a word!" said Hermione sternly, but she was giggling too, "He doesn't realize how noticeable he's being. He'd kill us if we told anyone."

"Your secret's safe with me, Black's honor," Alex said and put a hand over her heart.

They spent the rest of the day working on the pile of homework they had gotten for the weekend. They were working on Arithmancy when the clock on Hermione's bedside table struck eight thirty.

"And then you take the three and…what are you doing?" Hermione asked as Alex stood up like she had sat on a needle and started putting her shoes on without tying them.

"I was supposed to meet Draco in the dungeons half an hour ago!" said Alex, grabbing her cloak and bag, and running down the stairs two at a time, Hermione following her.

Over the last few weeks, the two of them had gotten to know each other more. Alex was surprised to find that when not surrounded by his dim-witted cronies, Draco was actually able to hold an intelligent and interesting conversation. They were able to chat freely with each other as they spent hours down in the dark dungeons. Although their friendship was still in its early stages, Alex found herself actually looking forward to their lessons. Draco turned out to be a great Potions brewer and excellent company.

"Draco? Since when have you called him Draco?" said Hermione as they left the common room and headed to the dungeons.

"I don't know," said Alex impatiently, waving her hand as she walked quickly, "Does it really matter what I call him?"

"Yes, it does!" said Hermione, running in front of Alex and cutting her off from the door to the dungeons, "Allowing someone to use your first name means they're trusting you with their name! How can you trust him after all he's done to get us in trouble?"

"I…I don't know all right?" said Alex, faltering a little. She didn't know herself, but it seemed harmless. It wasn't like she trusted him with one of her darkest secrets, like who her father really was or about her Invisibility Necklace.

"Just be careful Alex," said Hermione, putting a hand on her shoulder, "Malfoy's manipulative and cunning, he's probably just using your talents to boost his grades."

"People can change you know," snapped Alex, "My dad was a total jerk until his seventh year. Maybe Malfoy's changed too. He seems different than last year, and the years before."

"Maybe," said Hermione, but Alex knew she didn't believe her, "But you should still be on your guard. Maybe these lessons aren't such a good idea."

"Look Hermione," said Alex, finally snapping completely, "I understand you're looking out for me, but I don't need you to. I can take care of myself, thank you very much. I am perfectly capable of handling whatever Dra-I mean Malfoy can do to me. I'll see you later!"

She spun on her heel and headed down, Hermione watching her with a mix of hurt and sadness.

_Author's Note: Hello all! I know, not the most exciting chapter but the next few are pretty interesting. This book is a lot of fun and hopefully you all are enjoying it so far. I promise there are many surprises in store. Now, since I __still__ can't reply to reviews via PMs, here are my replies to my lovely reviewers._

Natsuki-chan2912:_ Haha, you're very welcome! Keep the plot bunnies coming! I love writing this series so much. Thanks for your review!_

x Jen bbe x: _Ah, I can't answer that question right now. You'll just have to wait and see. However, if you read my A/N, I do talk about it in one of my answers in a hypothetical situation. Check it out again and maybe that'll help answer your question…nudge nudge, wink wink. Haha! :P Thanks for your review!_

ZebraPotter18:_ Thank you! We have, like, two weeks left and I don't feel like doing any work, even though I still have to take finals. I have a bad case of senior-itus. Anyway, thanks for your review!_

Aileen Autarkeia:_ Hooray, I'm glad you're almost done with school! If you don't mind me asking, are you in college? Because someone told me that the whole "You can only have two" thing applied to college life. Just curious. __Yeah, Draco was rather pissed. Poor Draco, although I think he's extra cute when he's angry…*sigh* Thank you so much for your review and Little Button greatly appreciated the biscuits. ;)_

Lone Fairytale:_ Haha, it's no big deal! :P And I def agree, he is a sexy beast that never fails to make me swoon. Did you enjoy my A/N? I don't want to give away too much information so that was the result. I reread it actually and I started cracking up. Ah well. If you're enjoying their time together in the dungeons, you will def enjoy the next few chapters. Thanks for your reviews; they never fail to brighten my day!_

_If you would like to be recognized for your review in my A/Ns, just click that little review button at the bottom of the page. It is well trained, thanks to hours of work and many boxes of treats, and will only attack you without mercy if you attempt to write a flame. Thanks again and please review! :D_


	12. Chapter 10 Surprises

_Author's Note: If I were J.K Rowling, I would be totally awesome. As it is, I'm merely a teenager who enjoys writing about her world. _madscientist128:_ I hope you enjoy this and I edited this story while listening to _"Somewhere Only We Know" _on repeat! :D_

Chapter 10 Suspicious Almost Always Lead to Arguments and Awkwardness

Alex burst in the potions room and found Draco sitting by the cauldron with everything laid out neatly.

"I was about to get a search party," he said with a playful smile, "What took you so long?"

"Hermione was explaining Arithmancy to me," Alex said, panting and sitting down on a desk, "We lost track of the time."

"You have a hard time with that subject, don't you?" Draco asked, coming over to her and sitting down beside her, "Here, let me see the weekend's homework."

Alex pulled it out of her bag and handed it to him. He looked it over, occasionally nodding or shaking his head. He pulled out a chair and sat down, gesturing for Alex to join him.

"What are you doing?" she asked, sitting down and looking over his shoulder.

"Well, unless you want to hand this in with all these errors, I'm going to help you get this straight. By the end of the year, you'll be getting 'Outstanding' on all of your homework."

"But what about the potion?" Alex asked, "Don't we need to—?"

"Relax," he said with a smile, "I've done all we can do for today, but we need to check on it in exactly twenty-four hours. Can you do that?"

"All right," said Alex, "I have to warn you though, I'm really bad at this."

"I'll be the judge of that."

Draco proceeded to go over every problem in the packet. He made everything so simple that Alex wondered why she had never gotten it. While Hermione would get impatient after awhile if Alex didn't get something, Draco would try explaining it a different way, or relate it back to something in their life. When Hermione would have stopped to get herself calm, Draco was willing to spend hours on end going over the same set of problems. Finally, they reached the last and the hardest problems. Alex was getting frustrated because she didn't understand it, no matter how Draco explained it.

"I told you I'm horrible!" she burst out angrily, "I'm just not good at this! Maybe I should drop it and save me, and you, the aggravation of dealing with my stupidity!"

"Alex," Draco said gently, "You're a lot better off than you think. You understand everything, that's evident in that you were able to figure it out. Not everything in life will come easy for you, and this is one of those times you have to work especially hard. But just because you have to work more, does not by any means make you stupid. You're the smartest person I know, besides Granger but she's smarter than everyone."

Alex laughed and looked at Draco. Why hadn't she known he was so nice, so funny, so different than the other Slytherins? Hermione's voice came floating into her mind, _"Malfoy's manipulating and cunning…just be careful"_. Shaking her head to remove those thoughts, she put her packet back into her bag and looked at her watch. Gasping, she stood up in alarm. It was eleven o' clock, well past curfew time!

"What's wrong, Alex?" Draco asked.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" she whispered, as though someone would hear them, "It's eleven, curfew is at nine thirty!"

Draco cursed and began pacing. Alex was nervous, but not for the same reason as her friend. She would have no problem getting back to her common room unseen, though it was much further. No, her problem was Draco. They were in the dungeons but, if memory served her right, the Slytherin common room was well past the classrooms and deep into the damp corridors where Filch could be lurking unnoticed. She couldn't let him take that chance, not after all he had done for her. But how was she to explain everything?

"…and yours is all the way upstairs," Draco was muttering to himself, "Filch could be anywhere!"

"We don't need to worry about being caught," Alex said quietly, fiddling with her heart-shaped locket and making her decision. Besides, she could always put a Memory Charm on him if she decided she wanted to.

"What do you mean we don't have to worry?" said Draco, "We'll get a detention for this, it's extremely late! The last time I was caught out of bed, I had to go into the forest!"

"Calm down, Draco," said Alex, walking over and putting a hand on his arm. He stopped pacing and stared at her, "I…I have a plan. Keep your eyes on me, don't look away."

She backed away slowly, Draco's grey eyes on her. Taking a deep breath, she turned the knob to the right and she vanished. He blinked, staring at the spot where he saw her disappear from. Smiling, Alex walked right up to him and turned the knob to the left, reappearing. Draco jumped back in alarm and looked wide-eyed at her.

"How did you…where did you…what's going on, Alex?"

"This was my mother's necklace, there were only three made in the world. My aunt and my great-step-grandmother each had one. Whoever wears it becomes invisible."

She waited for him to react, but he just stared from the locket around her neck to her face. Finally, something clicked and he spoke.

"Are you telling me that you can become invisible at will? Wow Alex," he said, chuckling, "That's kind of creepy, I'll never know if you're right behind me or something."

"So, you like my plan?"

"I love it."

Alex enlarged the chain so that she and Draco could both wear it and be comfortable. They left the dungeon and began walking through the winding passageways. Draco would whisper directions to her as they walked. They had just turned a corner and were stopping for Draco to get his bearings when shuffling footsteps filled their ears. A light up ahead was growing larger and Alex saw a pair of cat eyes looking just where they were standing. All of a sudden, Alex was pushed into the corner of the wall with Draco in front of her. She saw his face reflected by the lantern, his eyes were wide. He was scared.

"Did you hear something, my sweet?" Filch asked his cat, Mrs. Norris, "Are there students out of bed tonight?"

The lantern light was getting brighter and Draco had to move closer to avoid being hit by the lantern. He was right on top of Alex, who sucked in her stomach to give Draco more space. Over his shoulder, she could see Filch look around, shrug, and mutter something. He walked off, Mrs. Norris following at his heels. Alex let out a great breath and leaned her head back. She noticed that she was still up against the wall and that Draco hadn't moved.

"What are you—?"

He put a finger over her mouth and pointed to his ear. Alex listened hard and heard something too. Another pair of footsteps were coming, though much quieter. A pale light came by and Alex saw the distinct outline of Snape's face. He walked right by them, much to their relief. After a few seconds, Draco leaned close to Alex's face.

"I think it's safe," he breathed softly.

Alex nodded and they continued to the Slytherin common room without anymore run-ins. They stopped at a wall and Alex took the necklace off Draco. She too made herself visible.

"That was interesting," she said in a whisper, "I've never had that happen before."

"What, Filch creeping up on you?" he asked, smiling playfully.

"That and Snape being in the same area," said Alex, "So I'll see you tomorrow?"

"You better believe it!"

She waved and became invisible. Draco stared at the spot where she had been, sighed and shook his head, muttering the password to get into the common room. A door appeared and he vanished through it. Quietly as possible, Alex returned to her common room and went to sleep.

…...

"Where were you all last night?" Hermione asked as Alex pulled on a sweatshirt to go outside with the others.

"I was working on the potion, remember?" said Alex coolly. She was still a little upset with Hermione.

"I never saw you come in though," said Hermione as they walked to the common room, "And I went to bed an hour after curfew, which means you came back late."

"We lost track of time," Alex replied, stopping at the bottom of the girls' staircase. Hermione gave her a raised eyebrow look, making it hard for Alex to control her temper, "Nothing happened, all right? He's just a friend, not even a good one like you guys."

"I believe you Alex, but—"

"But what?" she snapped, "You actually think I would throw myself at a guy like that? That I would waste my time in a broom cupboard when I could be doing something I enjoy? And I mean, come on Hermione! I may be spending time with Draco and learning about him, but I cannot easily forget the hell he put you all and myself through the last three years. It will take a lot, _a lot_, for me to even think about liking him in an even remotely romantic way after all of that. And if you really think that I am that easy, Hermione, then you don't know me at all!"

Alex turned on her heel and used her long legs to stride quickly out of the common room. She was happy to be going with Hagrid, that way she could have the brisk air to calm her down. Why would Hermione even suggest that she and Malfoy would…it was too much for her to imagine as she shivered in displeasure.

_Besides,_ she thought as she knocked on Hagrid's door, _Guys don't like me like that. They only talk to me to ask about homework and school._

She and Hagrid went back to the newly built shed for the Beauxbaton's winged horses. Alex found them swaying slightly and they spoke to her in slurs.

"How much wine did you give them, Hagrid?" asked Alex as one white horse leaned against the shed wall and was giggling.

"She told me one bucket a horse," said Hagrid, pointing to the tubs he called buckets, "Yeh think I put too much?"

"Just a tad," Alex said with a smile and began combining the wine. She was carrying it in when heavy footsteps entered the corral and she saw Madame Maxime invite herself into the area.

"Vere is 'Agrid?" she asked Alex, like she was a servant.

"He's inside," said Alex, struggling under the weight, "I'll get him."

She placed the wine on the table and told Hagrid who was out there. He jumped about a foot in the air, causing several pots to clang together, and began putting his hands down on his hair, as though to tame it.

"How do I look?" he asked nervously.

"Uh…great Hagrid, like always. Why?" she asked but Hagrid was out the door and at the shed by the time she said those words.

She waited for him to come back, but after fifteen minutes, decided he didn't need her to do anything else. She left him a note and went back to the castle. Remembering her essay in Defense Against the Dark Arts, she headed to the library where she found Hermione sitting by herself. Unsure of what to do, Alex began searching for books that would help her. As she went down a row of shelves, she saw a guy with a crooked nose peeping through the books toward the other side. He hadn't seen her, but she saw it was Krum, looking at a studying Hermione.

"You know," she whispered, making him start and spin around, "You can go say hi to her, she won't bite or anything."

"Vou know her?" Krum asked.

"Her name's Hermione," said Alex, "She's a Gryffindor and my friend. But like I said, if you want to introduce yourself, go ahead."

Giggling from the next bookshelf made them turn around. A group of girls from first to seventh years were standing behind a shelf, some glaring at Alex angrily. A book slammed shut and Alex saw Hermione storm out of the library, obviously annoyed. Krum's shoulders slumped and he sighed.

"Vey follow me everyvhere," he said, jerking his head at the groupies, "I cannot get a moment's peace."

He left the library followed by the girls. Alex checked out her book and returned to the common room, sitting next to Harry and Ron.

"Where's Hermione?" she asked as she was finishing her essay one hour later, "We should leave for the Great Hall in a few minutes."

"She's in the dormitory," said Ron, stretching and yawning, "Came in here all upset by something just a few minutes before you did."

Alex told them to go one ahead and waited until they left. She then went up the stairs and entered the dormitory room. Hermione was sitting on the floor reading, but looked up when Alex entered.

"Hey."

"Hi."

Alex stood there, not knowing what to say. Finally, Hermione spoke, breaking the awkward silence.

"Saw you in the library today," she said, "Those giggling idiots were distracting me. Every time _Viktor Krum_ goes in there, he has to bring them too."

"He doesn't like it, you know," said Alex, joining her friend on the floor, "He says he doesn't get a moment's peace with them following him around."

"Yeah, well, that's what you get when you're a famous Quidditch player," said Hermione, "He's always staring at me too, and that's gets annoying. He thinks he's being so secretive, hiding behind the bookshelves."

"I think he has a thing for you," said Alex with a smile.

Hermione gave a snort and smiled back, "Please, why would he be interested in me? I'm just a girl he sees in the library everyday. I'm not even that pretty."

"Don't say that!" said Alex, slapping Hermione's arm semi-lightly, "You're very pretty and that's why he likes you."

"I don't want _him_ to like me," she muttered but before Alex could ask what she meant, Parvati and Lavender entered, telling them they would be late it they didn't hurry down.

The Great Hall was packed with students. Alex had to search a little before she found Harry and Ron. She pushed her way through the crowd and joined them, Hermione following her. Just as they sat down, Dumbledore raised his hands for silence.

"Thank you all for coming!" he said, his blue eyes twinkling merrily, "The Goblet of Fire has chosen our three champions for the tournament."

He put out all the candles except for the jack o' lanterns floating above the tables. Alex watched the goblet's blue flames and jumped when it turned bright red. A piece of paper flew out and Dumbledore caught it.

"The champion of Beauxbaton's Academy is Fleur Delacore!"

Everyone clapped and the vela girl stood and walked up to Dumbledore, shaking his hand. He pointed to a side door and she went in. All eyes returned to the goblet as it glowed red and a second piece of paper flew out.

"Durmstrang's champion is Viktor Krum!"

"No surprise there!" shouted Ron as he applauded. Krum slouched over to the Hogwarts Headmaster, shook his hand, and went through the same door. For a third time, the goblet glowed red and a piece of paper was caught by Dumbledore.

"Finally, the Hogwarts champion is Cedric Diggory!"

The Hufflepuff table went crazy. It took Cedric a few minutes to reach Dumbledore because everyone was patting him on the back and high-five-ing him. Once he was through the door, Dumbledore stood in front of the goblet to talk to the remaining students.

"Congratulations to our three champions, I know you all will cheer them on as they-"

But he stopped as students were whispering and pointing behind him. He turned and saw the goblet was glowing red for a fourth time. A fourth piece of paper shot out of the fire and Dumbledore caught it, reading out the name.

"Harry Potter."

Whispers went out through the hall and Alex's jaw dropped. She looked at Harry, who obviously was just as confused as the rest of the school was. Shakily, he stood up and walked up to Dumbledore. No hand shaking this time, the Headmaster pointed to the side door and followed Harry inside.

"Everyone go back to their common rooms immediately!" Professor McGonagall said sternly.

The crowd of people began shuffling out the door and there was a bottle neck as everyone tried to push through. In the confined space, Alex heard people talking amongst themselves.

"Potter always gets the glory, why can't Hufflepuff have a chance?"

"How could he have gotten his name in there? He's only fourteen!"

"It's not fair, it's always Potter this and Potter that!"

"Hey, why don't you shut your trap!" snapped Alex to the person who said the last comment, a sixth year Slytherin, "You really think he wants to get himself killed in a tournament?"

"You would say that wouldn't you, you're his little scar partner," sneered the Slytherin, causing his housemates to snigger, "Come on now, the winner of this tournament wins not only a ton of galleons but eternal glory. It's got Potter's name written all over it!"

After jinxing the boy into a polka-dotted pig, Alex pushed her way ahead, Hermione and Ron following. Ron's face was stony and didn't even laugh when Alex said the Slytherin was handsomer as a pig. They were separated as they got closer to the door so Alex never asked him what his issue was.

She felt someone grab her hand and spun around to see Draco. She let out a sigh of relief and smiled.

"If it was anyone but you or my other friends, you'd have been in the Hospital Wing." she said with a laugh.

"Good thing you looked before you jinxed then," he said and dragged her out of the current of the crowd, down to the dungeons. Once the door of the classroom was closed, Draco let go of her hand and she began pacing.

"Everyone thinks it was Harry who put his name in," she vented as she went back and forth, becoming more agitated with each step,"But it couldn't have been! Harry wouldn't have done it! He hates all the attention he gets because of who he is, just as much as I do right now!"

"But how did his name even get in?" Draco asked, "Someone must've put it in, even if Potter didn't himself."

"Harry wouldn't have asked an older student to put his name in, if that's what you're getting at," said Alex, "No, someone must've done it to try and get Harry killed."

"But why—?"

"Because that's always the case!" Alex said angrily and still pacing, though much faster now, "People are always trying to kill him because they think that'll bring Voldemort back! They want revenge for something he did when he was a baby…something I did with him." Alex stopped pacing and stared off into space, her mind racing, "They could have put me in there too, but they didn't. Why…Why just Harry? Unless…they don't know about me or…they've got something else planned for me…a plan to kill me too."

Draco went over to her and drew her close. Alex put her head on the top of his shoulder and sighed. Right now, she needed the comforting gesture and she could feel the sympathy in his embrace.

"Nothing is going to happen to you, nothing _will_ happen to you" he said quietly, "I won't let them hurt you, _ever. _I promise you, Alex."

Alex pulled away and eyed him suspiciously. However, his expression was completely serious and she had a feeling he really meant it. He wasn't about to go back on his word in this case.

"Thanks Draco," she said, smiling, "I'm glad I can count on you." He merely nodded and patted her on the shoulder.

They spent the next ten minutes adding the ingredients. Alex happily said that it was almost finished. All that was left was a little of who they were changing into.

"Um…are we actually going to use it?" he asked.

"We should you know, shame to waste all the time and effort we put into it."

They moved the cauldron into the far corner of the classroom and cleaned up their area. It was eight thirty but they didn't feel like leaving yet so they just talked for another fifteen minutes. Their conversation ranged from music to food. Alex was telling Draco her favorite types of candy.

"I'm a huge chocolate fan," she said, "My favorite chocolate bar is Hershey's because it's so creamy and it reminds me of warm nights, sitting by a bonfire back in America."

"Hershey's?" said Draco.

"It's a kind of Muggle candy," she explained, "I'll ask Erin to send me a bar so you can taste it."

"Honeydukes has great chocolate," he said, "I think we go next weekend, right?"

"Yeah, it got bumped forward because of the schools coming."

"You going with anyone?" he asked.

"Just my friends, why?"

"Just curious," he said with a smile, "I know this place off the main road where they have the best chocolate fudge. Maybe I could show you next weekend?"

"Sounds great!" said Alex, "How about we meet by the Shrieking Shack around one, then we've already had lunch and can have dessert."

Draco and Alex said their good-byes and headed back to their common rooms, this time before curfew.

_Author's Note: So…I'm dying to hear your reactions to this chapter! Likes, dislikes? Anything you were expecting that didn't happen or something you want to know if it will occur later on? Leave a review like these lovely folks and I will answer your question!_

azuresilver: _Don't worry, Draco's niceness towards Alex will not go unnoticed. Trust me, it will be very interesting when all that occurs. ;) And he will be in a fight too! Thanks for your review!_

GinnyWho: _I'm so glad you enjoyed the prequel and are still enjoying the series! It's so good to hear that. Thanks for your review!_

Peanut7890:_ Let me welcome you to the series then and tell you that it's so great to have you reading it, even if you did stumble on it by accident. It was fate! Haha! :D Congratulations for figuring out Alex was Sirius' daughter; yes, the Black family eyes are always a bit of a give-away but I love them so much! As for getting closer to Viktor, hopefully you enjoyed this chapter then! They talk every once in a while, but they won't be as close as Hermione and he were with correspondence and certainly not romantically. I decided not to have Alex in the tournament because that would make Hogwarts have three champions and that would be really unfair to the other schools. I guess good ol' Voldie will have to find another way to get to Alex…hehe! I hope you continue to enjoy the series and I hope to see many more of your reviews! Thanks for your review!_

Natsuki-chan2912: _The centaurs aren't really important in the next few books but their words are obviously very important in the final book. The Battle of Hogwarts will still be very important but Alex's role in everything will hopefully add more depth to it all. I don't want to give away the ending so if you stick around for the final book, you'll get to see what I have planned up in the ol' noggin. ;) Anyway, thanks for your review!_

MsPaigeMedows:_ Actually, a lot of the book's events will be the same. It's more the motives for it all that will be changed. But this is AU so don't worry, some stuff will not be in canon. This lets me let my imagination run wild…a scary thought but it'll turn out all right in the end. As for Alex's date to the Yule Ball, you'll just have to wait and see…hehe! ;) I hope you continue to enjoy this book and thank you so much for your review!_

_There you have it! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, put me in their favorites, and put me on alert. As always, your support is a better pick-me-up than Starbucks hot chocolate (my version of coffee since I can't drink that stuff)! :D_


	13. Chapter 11 The Lack of Common Sense

_Author's Note: Hmm…you would think if I really did own Harry Potter, I'd have said something by now. Ergo, I only own Alex and the stuff you don't recognize from the original series._

Chapter 11 The Lack of Common Sense Makes Me Laugh

Alex entered the common room and sensed tension in the air. She looked and saw Harry and Ron glaring at each other, everyone trying to ignore the best friends' glares. Alex walked over to them and stood between them, fearing one would tackle the other.

"What's going on here?" she asked.

They both started talking at the same time. Alex shouted for silence, but to no avail. She put her fingers in her mouth, people covering their ears, and whistled so loud that the unfortunate people who never heard Alex's whistle were left with a ringing in their ears. Harry and Ron stopped shouting at each other and started yelling at her. Alex raised her fingers to her mouth and they immediately fell silent.

"Hermione, what in Merlin's name is happening here?" she asked, turning to the only one of her friends that seemed sane at the moment.

"Well," Hermion said nervously, "Ron's upset because of Harry being in the tournament. Harry told him he doesn't want to be, there was an angry shouting match, and then you came in."

"Thank you Hermione," she said, glad for a straight answer, "Now Ron, why are you upset that Harry is in the tournament?"

"I'm not upset," he said coldly.

"Oh yes," said Harry with a sarcastic laugh, "I forgot, everyone treats their friends like crap when they enter a life-threatening competition! How stupid of me?"

They erupted into a heated argument, which ended quickly thanks to Alex's eardrum-destroying whistle.

"Listen up you two," she said angrily, "Argue like little kids all you like, I can whistle all day long. Now Harry, does anyone know how your name got in there?"

"Dumbledore said it would take powerful dark magic to rig the goblet, magic beyond that of a student."

"Who said it was rigged?" said Ron, "If Harry didn't put his name in, then how was it that Dumbledore read it? An older student must've put his name in, anything to make Harry Potter happy!"

"Ron, stop this-"

"Leave me alone, Hermione! I knew you'd both take Harry's side, he's the great and all-powerful Harry Potter!" He stormed up the stairs and they heard a door slam.

Hermione looked extremely hurt but she set her face and turned to Harry. "Don't listen to him Harry, we know you didn't do anything. Once everyone sees the first task, they'll realize you wouldn't have signed up for this."

"Ron's jealous," Alex said, who had just closed her eyes and was listening as Ron vented to his owl, Pig, who relayed it to her through her mind, "He's tired of being the sidekick and being forgotten. Hermione's the smart one, I'm the fearless helper of the great Harry Potter, and he's just the goofball. That's not true!" she said after repeating this aloud, "I'm not fearless and I'm a goofball too! Between Ron and me, we should have our own comedy act."

"Whatever," said Harry, "I just thought him of all people would believe me."

Harry went upstairs and Hermione sunk into an armchair, head in her hands. Alex cocked her head and sat on the arm, putting a hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"You okay?" she asked.

Hermione lifted her head up and shook her head, "I don't think so. I haven't been myself since the World Cup. I…I can't stop thinking about him, everyday I wake up and I wonder what he's doing that minute."

Alex looked around the room, everyone leaving since the argument was over. The room was empty.

"Whoever you're talking about, you like him, that's for sure," Alex said.

"But he doesn't like me!" Hermione said sorrowfully, "And he never will because…because I'm just a walking book for him. All I'll ever be is an essay checker and someone to have a good argument with!"

Alex collected these pieces of information and put it together. She stared at Hermione and smiled.

"Ron? You like Ron Weasley?" she laughed and hugged Hermione, "I wouldn't have guessed you'd be interested in him! He's so…"

"Funny…charming?"

"I was going to say obnoxious, but those fit too," said Alex and Hermione laughed.

"Look Alex, about Malfoy…I'm sorry about what I said. People do change, you right, but just watch your back," said Hermione, "He's a Slytherin for a reason."

Alex nodded and they went upstairs. Parvati and Lavender were sitting on Lavender's bed, whispering. They stopped just as Alex and Hermione entered. Maggie came out of the bathroom and sneered.

"Well look who's here now? Do tell me how Potter managed to get his name in the goblet. I said that he bribed an older student but those two," she jerked her head at Parvati and Lavender, "Say he didn't do anything. Which of us is right?"

"And the winner is, drum roll please," said Alex sarcastically, drumming on Maggie's bedpost, "No surprise there, Parvati and Lavender! Come on up girls and get your prize!"

"You actually believe that Potter's name magically appeared in that goblet?" Maggie said, crossing her arms and glaring at Alex.

"Well, this is a school for magic, although why you're here is beyond me. The extent of your magic is turning straw into a needle. What's that?" asked Alex, turning to an invisible person, "We learned that our first day? Really? Wow, _that's_ depressing."

Maggie pulled her wand out, but Alex's was already out and pointed at the other girl's face.

"If you want to see the extent of my magic," Maggie whispered darkly, "Meet me behind the greenhouses at dawn tomorrow."

"You're on. You might want to have your Slytherin buddies bring a stretcher, that's the only way you're gonna make it to Madame Pomfrey."

Maggie lowered her wand and pulled the bed curtains around her. A fuming Alex climbed into bed and fell straight to sleep, knowing she would need it to take on Maggie.

…...

"Your temper is going to come back to bite you, Alex," Hermione lectured Alex as they headed to the greenhouses, the sky just turning grey. Parvati, Lavender, and Harry were with them, all looking tired. Alex was the only one who was wide awake and ready to take on the world.

"I've been wanting to fight Maggie for ages. Don't ruin my fun by lecturing me."

They reached the greenhouses and found Maggie with a few Slytherins. Among them was Pansy Parkinson, a very annoying Slytherin who was obsessed with Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and Draco. He looked shocked to see Alex there.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered anxiously when she passed him.

"I'm here to beat the crap out of Maggie," she replied quietly.

Alex went to the other side of the lawn, stretching and taking deep breaths as adrenaline rushed through her. Once she was ready, she walked to the middle of the battle ground and waited for her opponent. Maggie walked over to her and they bowed, turned and took ten paces. They faced each other and Draco's voice was heard.

"On three, you begin. One…two…" Alex silently case an invisible shield charm, "THREE!"

"_Stupify!_" Maggie shouted. Alex raised her wand and it bounced off her shield, zooming back at Maggie. She barely missed the jet of light when Alex sent a silent spell at her.

The battle consisted of Maggie dodging spells while Alex silently bore down on her. Alex was about to send the final curse when Maggie sent a spell that broke through her shield charm. Alex went flying backward and hit her head on a rock. She vision swam and she tried to stand, resulting in her falling to her knees. Voices laughing filled her ears making her shake with rage. Maggie walked over to her and pointed her wand at Alex's chest.

"Now see whose magic is better," she whispered so only Alex could hear.

But what Maggie failed to notice was Alex's silent incantation on a nearby tree. It was a large tree with a long network of roots that ran well beyond the actual trunk. The roots sprang out of the ground and bound Maggie's legs together, causing her to fall on her back. The roots wrapped around Maggie's struggling body and held fast. Once they had finished, Alex managed to get to her feet and stagger to Maggie, blood dripping down her face.

"Yes, do see. See that you are a horrible person who treats people like dirt because you're miserable. See that you're acting like a child who didn't get what they wanted for Christmas and is taking their anger out on people who could have been their friends. But most of all, see how kind I'm being to you 'cause you're never gonna see it again. I'm not going to leave you here in such a state that you have to be carried to the Hospital Wing. I'll let you walk off this ground without a scratch on you. But if you ever try to challenge me again, I won't hold back."

Maggie just looked up at her angrily. Taking this as a sign of her surrender, Alex walked away toward her friends. Hermione handed her a towel and Alex applied pressure to her throbbing head. Leaning on Hermione, Alex and the others started leaving. Behind them, Alex heard the start of an incantation, a man's voice shout, "I don't think so lassie!" and a loud bang.

The Gryffindors looked around and saw Professor Moody pointing his wand at a weasel. Alex looked around and saw Maggie had vanished. It took a little longer than normal for her to realize the weasel was Maggie. She laughed, causing everyone else to laugh, even the Slytherins. The weasel was obviously angry and tried to attack Alex again with its claws and teeth. Moody raised his wand and the weasel began floating up and down, causing more laughter.

"What is going on here?"

The laughter faded as Professor McGonagall stormed over to the group, looking angrier than Alex had seen.

"Professor Moody, is that a student?" she asked indignantly.

"Technically it's a weasel, Professor," Moody said, all eyes watching the writhing animal go up and down.

"We do not use transfiguration as a punishment, Alastor!" McGonagall said, as though she were totally shocked at this behavior, "I do not know what has gotten into you lately Alastor, but I think you need to sort it out with Professor Dumbledore. Now change that student back and follow me…NOW!"

Moody flicked his wand and Maggie appeared, shaking horribly and looking wildly around. Moody followed McGonagall like a student in trouble, but not before winking at the group of Gryffindors and saying, "You better go up to Madame Pomfrey before you lose anymore blood."

Alex was taken to the Hospital Wing where the matron patched her up and made her drink something to help against infection. As Alex sat there waiting for the medicine to kick in, Harry was telling her how awesome it was to see her fight.

"Alex, you were so much better than the last time we saw you duel!" he said, grinning. It was the first time he had smiled all day. "Your spells were coming out so fast and Maggie had no idea what was going on!"

"I guess the dormitory will be a lot quieter these next few days, huh?" Alex asked, sitting up but stopping as the room began to spin.

"Are you kidding?" said Lavender, "Maggie won't be speaking to us all year, isn't that great?"

"That's the best gift anyone could hope for!" said Parvati happily.

Finally, Alex left the Hospital Wing and went to the library with Hermione and Harry. Parvati and Lavender left to tell the other Gryffindors what happened. It wasn't long before Krum appeared in the library, slouching to the back behind the bookshelves. Hermione seemed to grow more pink than usual as she poured over her Ancient Runes dictionary.

They were soon forced to leave when a group, larger than Alex remembered seeing last time, of girls came in making a lot of noise. Once they were gone, Harry turned to the girls.

"Does that happen often?" he asked.

"Only when Hermione's in there," muttered Alex under her breath and received a death stare from Hermione, who had heard the comment. She then said aloud, "All the time."

They arrived at the common room and found Ron sitting with his older brothers. Sighing, Alex took out a piece of parchment and wrote a letter to her dad telling him all about what happened with the goblet. She sealed it and asked if anyone wanted to join her in going to the Owlry.

"Can't," said Hermione distractedly as she finished the final conclusion of her Ancient Runes essay, which had to be written in ancient runes, "After this, I need to finish that Potions essay."

"I would but I need to start my Potions essay. Thanks for reminding me, Hermione," said Harry with a good-natured eye roll.

Alex nodded and set off. Once she reached the Owlry, she called Monty down and tied the letter to his leg.

_"The castle seems nervous,"_ Monty noted as Alex finished the knot, _"All the owls sense it. People have been coming in and out sending letters to family members."_

_"Yeah, and telling them lies,"_ said Alex. She sighed and told her trusted owl all about Harry's name appearing in the goblet, how Ron was upset because Harry got all the glory even though he didn't want it, and how everyone thought Harry was a pompous liar.

_"Which, if they actually took the time to get to know him, they'd know he's the total opposite!"_ she spat angrily.

_"This tournament, is it life-threatening? Is there a chance of death during the tasks?"_ Alex nodded solemnly, _"Then you have nothing to fear, for they will see how dangerous this challenge is and that no one would go to such lengths to enter it if they were not allowed to."_

_"Yeah, if Harry survives that long,"_ said Alex with a heavy sigh,_ "I just don't see—"_

The door opened and Alex turned, quickly shutting up. It wasn't that she couldn't talk to animals while humans were around but it made her feel awkward. It was as if she picked up more on the fact that she wasn't speaking English while other people were around. It was Ron who walked in while holding Pig, which was no easy task, and he stopped dead when he saw her.

"Pretend I'm not here, that's what you've been doing all day anyway," said Alex coolly. She watched as Ron let go of Pig and the owl took off joyfully.

"I can't imagine you actually believe him," said Ron quietly, but full of anger, "But then again, you two are always joined at the hip, doing everything together. Hermione's the brains, you two are the brawn, and I'm the clown that bumbles along in the vast shadow."

"Stop it Ron!" said Alex, her eyes alight with fiery anger, "Just shut it, okay? You're being stupid! You know Harry hates the attention he gets, and you know I do too! There is a logical reason for all of this."

"Oh really?" said Ron sarcastically, "Do enlighten me on this "logical reason". That's right, you can't think of one because there isn't one!"

"I don't think you understand the reality of the situation," said Alex so loudly that the owls drew closer in their nests, "People _die_ in this tournament Ron! This isn't some silly game where people pretend to die, they do die!"

"And what better way for-"

"Don't you dare interrupt me, Weasley!" Alex shouted and Ron backed up in alarm.

Whenever Alex called him by his last name, Ron usually ended up with some type of physical injury. First year, he had been hung up by his ankles and last year, Alex had punched him in the nose. He could only imagine what she was capable now.

"Anyone who would break Dumbledore's rules, and the Ministry's law, knowing that there was a chance of dying or being permanently injured is a moron. Harry's not a moron Ron, although after all these years of being around you I've always thought some of your moronic talents would rub off on him."

Ron was furious, but knew better than to take on Alex. He stormed out of the Owlry, almost running into Draco as he came through the door. Draco looked from a panting Alex to where Ron had almost run him over.

"Um, is this a bad time?"

"No Draco," said Alex and shook her head with a weak smile, "It's just the lack brain power in some people never ceases to amaze me."

Monty waddled over and rubbed his feathered head against Alex's hand. She patted his beak and he took off, soon becoming a black spot in the fading sunlight. Draco raised his arm and his owl came swooping down, taking the letter in its beak, and flew off as well.

"So, why were you yelling at Weasley?" Draco asked, joining her by the open window, "I could hear you from the bottom of the stairwell."

"He thinks Harry somehow put his name in," said Alex with a sigh, putting her head on her friend's shoulder.

"Most of school would agree with him," Draco said in a heavy, weary voice.

"And you?" Alex lifted her head up and looked at him.

"If anyone knows Potter, it's you. If you think he wouldn't put his name in, then I believe you."

Alex smiled and put her head back on his shoulder, saying, "Thanks Draco, it means a lot hearing that from you."

He put his arm around her and they watched the last rays of light disappear.

_Author's Note: Ah, look at the two of them! Aren't they just adorable? So I know it seems like Alex is pretty cozy with Draco here but remember that it's been a couple months and she's really upset. And, of course, I think he's completely fine providing her with the comfort she needs…nudge nudge…wink wink. ;) The next two chapters will talk about the first task and have the actual first task in them. Get ready for dragon-filled fun! Now here are my replies to my reviewers:_

ILoveReadingAndWriting:_ Yay, I'm glad you're rooting for them! It's going to be a long and crazy-filled ride though so hopefully you'll keep reading through it all. I promise it will be worth it in the end. __Thanks for your review!_

Peanut7890:_ Haha, I love me my Starbucks! :D Yeah, your description of their "ship" is pretty accurate, although I'm sure that both of them would insist that it's not a date…but we know better. :P I had to put the chocolate in there since I live off that stuff! It's quite sad actually, but I can't help it! As for Draco, he's sweet right now but there will be times where he'll be a jerk. He does have to keep up appearances after all. Thanks for your review!_

azuresilver:_ Yeah, Harry and the others would definitely not be happy with her. The Yule Ball is a few chapters away but hopefully the rest of the story will be able to hold you over until the dance. Believe me, it will be an interesting night for them all. ;) Thanks for your review!_

MiakaKyle:_ Thank you so much for saying that about Alex! I'm always afraid that people will think she's Mary Sue because of her powers so that's why I tried to give her a bad temper and other character flaws. I also completely agree with fast moving relationships in stories; it can be so unrealistic because that's definitely not what happens in real life. This is the case with Alex and Draco, just like you said. Thanks for your review!_

c7a7t7: _Do you mean with Karkaroff? I actually don't think I put that in the story. I have when Karkaroff is with Snape and when Sirius said he was in jail and all, but I don't think I used the Penseive. If that really bothers you, let me know and I can write it in. Just give me a head's up so I can figure out how to work it in to the story. Thanks for your review!_

Amy aka Luke:_ Oh no! You exploded? But if you exploded, how will you be able to read the rest of the series? Haha, thanks for your review and I'm glad you liked it!_

Tempest NightMoon:_ Haha, they are rather adorable together, aren't they? ;) And Draco's protectiveness will be a very key part of the series so keep an eye out for that. Thanks for your review!_

nine-tails8:_ Don't worry, I have no plans of stopping my updates. This series is way too important to me and I love writing Alex's character so much. The only time I'll be late updating will be if I'm on vacation or graduation preparations get in the way. Thank you for your review!_

Natsuki-chan2912:_ Ah young romance! Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter too, especially the end of it. Thanks for your review!_

GinnyWho:_ Maybe he does… :P Haha, hope you enjoyed this chapter and thanks for your review!_

MsPaigeMedows:_ I'm sorry to say that Alex won't be hexing Ron like she did to the Slytherin. She saves that much anger for her worst enemies and even though Ron is annoying, he doesn't make the list. However, as you read, she can be pretty frightening without raising her wand at all. Anyway, thanks for your review!_

LoneFairytale:_ Haha, I'm glad you enjoy Alex's outbursts of anger. She can be funny when she's angry. :D You know, I really like your name combo for them. Dralex…I hope that catches on! And that line Draco says about protecting Alex is VERY important in the series so I'm glad you picked up on it. Good, I'm happy you picked up on the reference! Thanks for your review!_

mysterygirl123:_ When you say something will go wrong, do you mean with Alex and Draco? Or just Alex? Or with Harry and Alex and Death Eaters and/or other Dark Magic supporters? All of those are possibilities so just keep reading to find out! :D Thanks for your review!_

_Thanks to all my reviewers, those who have me on alert, and those who put me in their favorites! It's great to know that you all are enjoying the series. Please take the time to review and let me know how you like it so far! :D_


	14. Chapter 12 The First Task is WHAT!

_Author's Note: I own Alex and everything you don't recognize. All else belongs to the great and honorable J.K Rowling._

Chapter 12 The First Task is WHAT?

November had definitely arrived as the Gryffindors and Slytherins worked over their Potions, rubbing their frozen fingers over the fire. Alex had finished the potion and was warming up her numbed fingers so she could pick up the vial without having it slip and fall on the flagstone floor. Finally, feeling was restored and she put the vial on Snape's desk, wrapping herself in her cloak and sitting back at her table. Quickly as she could, she put away her ingredients but keeping the fire going.

A door opened and Colin Creevy came in. His smile, which he was accustomed to wearing whenever he was near Harry, was gone and he looked rather frightened.

"Excuse me Professor Snape, but I'm to take Harry to see Professor Dumbledore. He needs to go with the other champions, sir."

"I'm sure it can wait until after he has finished in my class, Mr. Creevy," said Snape, "What is so important that they are taking students away from their work?"

"I…I think it's an interview sir, so the public can learn about them," Colin said, his voice shaking, "Sir, I was sent to get him. He-"

"Very well," Snape said, his lip curling, "Have fun at your interview, Potter. You may finish your potion after dinner tonight."

Harry cleared his stuff and followed Colin. When the bell rang moments later, Alex and Hermione left to go see Hagrid. Bundled up tightly, they made their trek across the school grounds and arrived to the warmth of Hagrid's hut. Hagrid served them tea while humming an out of tune song Alex had never heard before.

"You seem…happy, Hagrid," said Hermione as Hagrid hit a note that made them cringe, "Is everything all right?"

"Yeh bet I'm fine!" Hagrid said jovially.

After they had finished their tea and were getting ready to leave, Hagrid called them back.

"Tell Harry to meet me here at eleven o' clock tonight. He'll need the cloak 'cause it's a secret."

When Harry came back from his interview, he was in a mood. Apparently, the interviewer, Rita Skeeter, had cornered him in a broom cupboard ("Nothing happened, Hermione!") and had asked him all about his past. He had managed to read some of her notes over her shoulder and she made him out to be this little crybaby boy.

"Well, Hagrid wants you to meet him tonight at eleven, maybe that'll cheer you up," said Hermione.

"Can I come too?" Alex asked pleadingly. Harry nodded and asked Hermione if she wanted to come too.

"I think I'll stay here," she said, "I'm not in the mood to go gallivanting around Hogwarts at night."

So at ten forty-five, after he finished his potion, Harry tapped Alex shoulder and they became invisible with only Hermione around. They crept outside and knocked on Hagrid's door. He opened it and Alex almost thought they had the wrong hut. Hagrid's normally wild and tangled hair was wet and less straggly, with comb teeth still lodged in it. He had a strange jacket on, not his normal animal skin one but an orange blazer-type. He reeked of cologne and had a large flower pinned to his jacket.

"Is tha' you, Harry?"

"Yeah," he whispered. They had decided to not let Hagrid know Alex was tagging along.

"Come on, we're going into the forest," he said and led the way. Alex gave Harry a look of confusion and fright. Her last visit wasn't very pleasant. Could centaurs see though invisibility necklaces?

They walked deep into the forest until they reached a fence. Standing there was an extremely large woman, Madame Maxime.

"Ah 'Agrid, I though you forgot abou' me," she said.

"I could never forget yeh," said Hagrid, turning red.

Alex put a finger to her mouth and pretended to vomit, causing Harry to cover his mouth as he fought from laughing. They followed the couple around the fence until they came to a tented area with four cages. In the cages, Alex saw in alarm, were dragons. Not baby ones like Norbert, but full-grown dragons. Alex could hear them shouting at the men who were running around the area, cursing them for putting them into cages.

There was a burst of heat and flames, causing Alex and Harry to jump back in alarm. One of the dragons, with pointed scales and a row of sharp edges on its tail, had breathed fire in its anger.

"Whoa there, Hagrid," a familiar voice said and Alex saw Charlie Weasley run over to them, "You better stand back, that Hungarian Horntail is a foul-tempered beast. Nearly set the entire crate on fire while she was coming here. Their upset because we messed with their eggs, poor things. What's she doing here?" He had noticed Hagrid's companion.

"Oh, she's a friend o' mine," said Hagrid sheepishly.

"Mmhm, just don't let her tell her student about this, it's supposed to be a secret for the first task," Charlie said with a knowing look.

"Vat must zey do with ze dragons?" Madame Maxime asked, staring at the Horntail in awe.

"Haven't a clue, we're just the delivery boys. Gotta run Hagrid, don't get too close. Oy Henry, get some water on that tent for Merlin's sake!" Charlie ran off and Madame Maxime went around, finding another view. Harry pulled the hood off his head and looked at Hagrid.

"Dragons?" he hissed, "We need to fight dragons? Are they mad?"

"You'll be fine Harry," Hagrid said, waving his hand and following his "friend".

Harry stood there, his head floating in space. He pulled his hood up and stared at the dragons. Alex placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Let's get out of here before Hagrid starts making out," she whispered in an attempt to cheer her friend up.

They arrived in the common room and saw Hermione with Monty on a table. He had a letter at his feet with Sirius' handwriting on the envelope.

"It's from my dad!" said Alex happily and opened it. Her face fell when she saw there were only four words and a time.

_Gryffindor common room, tomorrow, 11:30._

"What does that mean?" Harry asked, reading the letter over Alex's shoulder, "He's not going to come up to the castle, is he?"

"I don't know," said Alex, "But I hope to Merlin he won't."

…...

The next night, the three waited for the common room to empty. While they were waiting, they talked about how to fight a mother dragon.

"Maybe I could stun it," said Harry as the girls poured over books.

"One, you'd need a hell of a lot more people stunning at the same time to make a difference," said Alex "And two, spells bounce off their armor except for their stomach. If I were you, I'd stay clear of the feet."

"Maybe he could knock it out like Ron did to the troll in our first year," said Hermione.

"I'm not doing anything that Ron thought was good," said Harry icily.

Finally, the place was empty. The clock sounded eleven…eleven fifteen…eleven thirty. Alex was staring into the fireplace while Hermione and Harry were debating about using rocks to hold it down, when she screamed and knelt by the fire.

"What's up, Alex?" Harry and Hermione asked together.

"I just saw my dad…in the fire."

"Alex, you're just…Sirius?" Harry asked as his godfather's face floated above the flames.

"Surprised you, didn't I?" he said with a laugh, "Alex, you should've seen you face when you saw me! I thought you were going to wet yourself, you were so surprised."

"Yeah well, I'm not used to seeing my dad's head engulfed in flames," laughed Alex, "It's great to see you, Dad."

"I just wish I could see you in person. Now I got your letter, Alex," Sirius said in a business-like tone, "Someone in school did this, someone who wants both you and Harry dead."

"But who?" Hermione asked, "Surely the Hogwarts staff wouldn't do that? Dumbledore trusts them."

Alex made a sneeze that sounded a lot like "Snape".

"No, I don't think Snape would try anything right under Dumbledore's nose," Sirius mulled over, "Dumbledore knows how much he hates you two. There are other schools at Hogwarts this year, with teachers who are less than friendly. Do you know Igor Karkaroff?"

"Yeah, he's the head of Durmstrang," said Alex, "Why?"

"He was a Death Eater who supposedly works for us now," Sirius said scathingly, "He sold out others to save his rotten self. But remember this, people who go over to Voldemort of their own accord never change. People say that they learned the error of their ways, but that's a lie. When I was in Azkaban, I heard them shouting for Voldemort to save them, to take them away. They were insane of course, but they are bonded to him for life. Becoming a Death Eater isn't a decision made lightly, once a servant of Voldemort, always a servant of Voldemort."

"The first task in this tournament is fighting a dragon," said Harry, "How am I supposed to take on a full-grown mother dragon with only my wand?"

"Harry, the others in this tournament may be older and more experienced than you, but have more determination than anyone I know. I know you will find a way to win and you have the smartest witches alive helping you."

He smiled at Hermione and Alex. Harry opened his mouth to ask another question but stopped. Footsteps were coming down the stairs.

"Someone's coming!" Alex whispered. She stood in front of the fire so as to hide the floating head of Sirius Black. She heard a pop and knew her father was gone. The footsteps continued and Ron appeared. He stopped when he saw the three of them sitting by the fire.

"I thought I heard something," he said, looking at them, "I thought there were four of you down here."

"Nope, only us," Alex said.

"Must've been practicing for your next interview, sorry to disturb," said Ron icily.

"Ron!" said Hermione but he ignored her and went up the stairs. She sighed and went up to her dormitory, looking very sad.

…...

The next day, Professor Moody kept Harry back for a few minutes after class. Harry found the girls in the library and sat down with them, very happy.

"I think I know how to get past the dragon," he whispered excitedly, "But I'm going to need your help if I'm going to do it next Friday."

He told them about Moody saying to play his strengths and how he could summon his Firebolt from the castle. Alex listened with a smile.

"That's genius! Why didn't we think of that? It's so simple!"

"Not really, actually," said Hermione, but she was happy that they had a game plan, "It'll take a lot of practice but we can spend all week and weekend working on it."

For the next week, Alex and Hermione spent hours working with Harry on his Summoning Charm. On Thursday evening, Alex left them early to go to her lesson with Snape. She entered the office and found Professor Dumbledore in there too.

"Good evening, Alex," the Headmaster said and Alex smiled nervously, "Professor Snape has told me you are afraid of entering a person's mind, am I right?"

"I'm not afraid to, sir," said Alex, "I just think someone's mind is private. Entering it is like reading a diary without permission, it's just not right."

"Many things we do in life are not what you call right," said Dumbledore sadly, "Killing, torturing, causing extra suffering. These things happen for a reason. It is important to understand Legilimency to learn how to defend yourself against it.

"I'll tell you what Alex, I will attempt to enter your mind and you will try to fight me off."

Alex nodded slowly and prepared herself. She felt pressure and saw in her mind's eye someone attempting to break down the doors to her mind. She fought to keep the Headmaster out with all her strength. Then, like someone letting go of a tug-of-war rope, there was no one to fight with and Alex was sent spiraling into Albus Dumbledore's mind.

She saw a young Dumbledore, not much older than she was, sitting in a class attempting to turn a rat into a snuff box. He was awarded ten points by the teacher, not Professor McGonagall, for having the nicest looking one. The scene changed and she watched as Dumbledore was appointed Headmaster of Hogwarts.

Suddenly, Alex found herself on her knees, panting and sweating. Dumbledore was at her side, helping her into a chair.

"Entering a mind is just as draining as having someone in yours," Dumbledore said kindly, "It takes practice so that you aren't as drained as your victim."

"You mean…I just went into your memories?" asked Alex, "Professor, I didn't mean to, I'm so sorry."

"No need to apologize, Alex," said Dumbledore with a smile, "In fact, I should be the one apologizing to you. I tricked you into entering my mind. I allowed your energy to build up to the point of no control and then let my guard down, forcing you to use your built up energy into entering my mind. I hope you can forgive me for that."

Alex nodded, still shaky. She listened as Dumbledore told her once a month, she would come to his office so they could practice legilimency together. He left her and Snape to continue their lessons.

"I've heard you've been practicing your technique," Snape said with a smirk.

"I haven't a clue what you're talking about," said Alex and she wasn't lying.

"So soon we forget. Your little duel with your housemate? The only reason I didn't tell Dumbledore that you used magic outside of classes was because you managed to beat your opponent. Let's see if you can do it again."

He raised his wand and they began dueling.

…...

Alex returned to the common room extremely late, but still found Hermione and Harry practicing. She slumped into a chair and began rubbing her aching muscles.

"Harry's really improving," said Hermione eagerly, "While you were gone, he managed to summon one of my textbooks from upstairs."

"That's great, Harry," said Alex, immediately perking up, "Wait until everyone sees what you're going to do!"

"Do you think the others know about the challenge?" Harry asked as he summoned another textbook from a room above.

"If Madame Maxime knows, she's bound to tell little miss sunshine so she'll have the upper hand," Alex said, "And I'll bet she'd tell Karkaroff so that Krum'll be able to beat Hogwarts. She must be upset about there being two Hogwarts champions."

"And Diggory?"

"Probably not," said Hermione with a shrug, "How could he?"

"I should tell him," said Harry, "He deserves to know, seeing as everyone else probably does."

"You sure about that, Harry?" asked Hermione, "It might give you an advantage."

"If that's how I have to win the competition, then I'd rather lose," said Harry, stretching, "It's better to lose and be honest than win and be a liar."

"That's very honorable of you, Harry," said Alex with a smile, "Now, show me how much you've improved."

_Author's Note: Guess what? I finally am able to reply to reviews without getting an error code! If you reviewed the last chapter, **would you please tell me if you actually received a reply from me?** I want to make sure it actually works._

Peanut7890:_ For some reason, it wouldn't let me reply to yours so here I am! Alex's character expresses the thoughts and opinions I always had while reading the book except maybe a bit more…aggressive about it. :P Haha, I think Oliver would've had his hands full trying to deal with Alex. She's quite passionate about Quidditch so the two of them would always be in a heated discussion. Still, I love Oliver and I do regret not having much of him in the series. Oh well. __Anyway, thank you very much for your review!_

_So what did you think of this chapter? I know it didn't have much action or adventure or romance in it, but hopefully it wasn't a completely and utter bore to read. Next chapter is the first task and I promise it will be fun. Thank you to all my amazing reviewers, favorite-ers, and alert-ers! Your support, as always, is appreciated and never ceases to put me in a merry mood. Remember, **please let me know if you received a reply from me so I know if it's working**. :D_


	15. Chapter 13 The First Task

_Author's Note: No matter how much I wish on stars, I'm not J.K Rowling. I had planned on posting this sooner but as I was reading through it, I realized my description of the First Task really sucked royal hippogriff. So, as a result, I completely scratched my original work and re-wrote it. Hope you find this enjoyable!_

Chapter 13 The First Task

On Saturday morning, Alex woke up in a wonderful mood. It was the weekend, she had finished all her written homework, and Draco was going to show her a great place to buy chocolate fudge. She dressed warmly and followed Hermione and Harry out into the biting cold.

Hogsmede was one of the all-wizarding villages in England, the most famous one actually. What it was most known for was the Shrieking Shack, said to be haunted by extremely violent spirits. Even though no noise had come from it in years, the villagers feared to go near it.

Their fears were pointless because there was never any spirits, just the screams of one Remus Lupin transforming into his werewolf form. In fact, Alex, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been in there last year. That was where they learned the truth and Alex was reunited with her father. Professor Lupin resigned after the events and that was the last time that Alex talked with him. It seemed her owl couldn't find her old professor, but the bird wasn't giving up without a fight.

All these thoughts were swimming in Alex's head as she waited in the cold for Draco to meet her. She had managed to fool her friends into going back to the castle without her, saying she had some early Christmas shopping to do and she didn't want them around while she did it. Alex wasn't dumb, quite the opposite. She knew if she told Harry and Hermione what she was really doing, they would either try to stop her or they'd follow her around "secretly". Alex chuckled; Harry and Hermione would probably have been as subtle as Hagrid's show of emotions for Madame Maxime.

"Hello there," Alex turned and saw Draco leaning casually against a tree, "And what, pray tell, would you be doing here freezing in this weather?"

"Waiting for a friend," said Alex, playing along with a smile, "I think he's late so I might just leave."

"How rude of him," said Draco, walking to her and sitting on the fence, "Tell you what, how about I take his place and show you around?"

"I'd love that."

They laughed and walked down a side dirt road. Alex hoped Draco knew where he was going, because she had lost all sense of direction. Finally, they came out of an alleyway onto a smaller main road and they went into the first shop on the left with a sign that read, "Grandma Hinkins' Famous Homemade Fudge and Other Delectables".

There was a tinkling of a bell and a wrinkled woman appeared from around the back. She smiled warmly and came out from the counter, embracing Draco like a son.

"There he is, my little Draco, though not so little anymore," the woman said and it was true. The woman came just below the boy's shoulder, her white hair tied back in a bun and her hazel eyes shinning with pride. Once she let Draco go, she turned to Alex and her smile widened.

"And who might this be?" she asked, looking Alex up and down.

"This is my friend, Alex. Alex, this is Mrs. Hinkins. She was a great friend of my grandmother's and runs this shop," Draco introduced and Alex shook the woman's hand.

"This place is really nice," said Alex politely, looking around. It was like she walked into a candy store from the fifties with jars full of different kinds of wizard and Muggle candy. Alex saw candy canes next to Pepper Imps. At the end of the shop was a huge counter with a glass panel full of different kinds of fudge.

"I've always had a sweet tooth for both Muggle and Wizard candies," Mrs. Hinkins said, coming to the counter were Alex was looking in, "Would you like to try a flavor I've been working on?"

Alex nodded and the white-haired woman went to the back of the store. Alex turned and saw Draco eyeing a container of jaw-breakers.

"This place is amazing!" whispered Alex, "How many people know about it?"

"Hogwarts-wise? Just us," said Draco, his face falling slightly, "She's been trying for ages to get onto the main road, but this is the closest they'll let her. They say there's no room for another candy store since Honeydukes does so well, but that's a load of frog crap. They don't want wizard children getting hooked on Muggle candy and then begging their parents to buy some. Honeydukes is afraid of going out of business, that's the bottom line."

"But a lot of Hogwarts students are part Muggle," said Alex, "They already know about Muggle candy, why can't a store have more choices for their customers?"

Draco opened his mouth to answer but stopped when the owner of the store returned with two large pieces of chocolate fudge with different colored spots inside. She placed them on the counter and Draco moved closer to see.

"It's chocolate fudge with Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans and M&M's. The children will never know if they'll get an M&M or a booger-flavored bean. Tell me what you think."

Alex and Draco each bit into their pieces. Alex got a few M&M's and a grass bean. Draco was unlucky and got all beans: earwax, vomit, and hard-boiled egg. He told Alex later he hated hard-boiled eggs with a passion ever since his mother forced him into eating them so as not to make his aunt upset.

"It's delicious!" Alex said as Draco attempted to swallow his beans down, "And I'm sure Draco would say so too if he could talk."

Draco nodded emphatically and Mrs. Hinkins clapped her hands together in joy.

"Oh, I hope it sells! Since you were my first tester, I'll give you each a pound for free."

Alex bought five more pounds, making the owner almost cry with joy, for her friends and uncle. She promised to come back next time she could and the two Hogwarts students left. They went back to the shack and spent the rest of their time sitting on the fence eating their fudge. When it was almost dark, they reluctantly decided it was time to go back up to the castle. They reached the Entrance Hall and bid each other good-bye.

"I had an amazing time, Draco," Alex said, "Thanks for showing me that place."

"I'll see you later then?"

Alex nodded and went back to her common room. She hid the fudge under her bed and went to find Harry and Hermione, unable to keep a smile off her face.

…...

The day of the first task arrived and Alex and Hermione watched as Harry left the breakfast table to join the other champions. Once the two of them finished their breakfast, neither eating much, they went out to the Quidditch pitch and found a place in the stands where they could see everything. After waiting anxiously, Dumbledore came out and the stadium became so silent, a pin could have been heard dropping.

"Good morning everyone!" Dumbledore said happily, "Welcome to the first task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament! Today, our champions will have to take a golden egg from a mother dragon. They have already chosen their dragons, so wish them all luck!"

The stadium erupted into cheers. The first one out was Cedric. Alex heard the dragon before she saw her. The dragon was a large, beautiful silvery-blue creature with large fangs and great leathery wings. Along its snout were sharp horns and Alex noted that instead of having forearms, it only had hindquarters and wings.

"Cedric, you may start the task when the gong sounds," said Dumbledore. Soon afterwards, there was the sound and Cedric raised his wand.

_"Hmm…what have we here?"_ Alex heard the dragon said with suspicion and interest,_ "I haven't seen much of your kind before."_

Cedric took a step forward and the dragon reared up onto its back legs. It opened its great mouth and Cedric quickly dived as a bright blue fire came out of the dragon's mouth. The rock behind him was quickly turned to a pile of ashes.

"Whoa!" cried Alex, leaping back, "That fire is really hot!"

"Swedish Short-Sounts have fire hot enough to turn wood or bone into ashes in a matter of seconds," said Hermione breathlessly as she watched, "They don't come into contact with humans often but you definitely don't want to mess with them, especially in the air. They rule the skies better than the ground."

Cedric was safe behind multiple layers of rock and he raised his wand. One of the rocks turned into a black Labrador. The dragon eyed the dog with interest, as if she found it more amusing than delicious.

_"You are a funny little four-legged creature,"_ she said as she followed it. As Cedric walked over to the eggs, he slipped and caused a small avalance of rocks. The dragon heard the noise and turned around. _"My eggs!"_ she shouted in fury and released her fire.

Unable to hide behind rocks this time, Cedric quickly dropped to his stomach but not before some of the fire licked the side of his face. He grabbed the egg as he let out a scream of pain and the gong sounded again. Many in the crowd gasped but then started clapping furiously. Alex heard some girls asking each other worriedly if Cedric would still look like a model after this task.

"I hope that dragon didn't ruin that gorgeous face," one girl said dreamily.

"I hope that dragon didn't kill him," said Alex nonchalantly but loud enough so that the girls could hear her. They all gasped and started whispering amongst themselves.

"You're so bad, Alex," said Hermione with a disapproving look and an eye roll.

"They started it," she muttered and started laughing quietly.

The men that Alex had seen before with the dragons came running out and started chaining the creature down, the dragon fighting and screaming profanities the entire time.

"What is she saying?" Hermione asked quietly as a group of men Stunned the dragon at once.

"Trust me, Hermione," said Alex as the dragon was silenced, "It's better if you didn't know."

Her friend merely nodded and watched as the next champion, Fleur, came out and her dragon was released. It was a little bigger than the first one and was a startling emerald green. She was a Common Welsh Green and much calmer than the other dragon.

_"Hmm…where am I? And why am I guarding these eggs? They're not mine…right? It's all kind of blurry,"_ the dragon said and Alex felt bad for her. If it were Alex, she would have been freaking out at not being able to remember what happened to her.

Fleur waited for the gong and walked cautiously towards the dragon. The creature saw this and her lax attitude immediately changed. Whether she thought the eggs were hers or not, it seemed her motherly instincts were kicking in fast.

_"Oh no little human, you can't have these eggs! Just try and mess with me now!"_ The dragon let out a loud, almost melodious roar that left Alex staring in awe of this great beast.

"You know, I'm starting to see why Hagrid likes them so much," she whispered.

"Focus Alex. You're forgetting that these things would kill Harry and have no problems with it," said Hermione.

"Er, right. Sorry 'Mione. Hey, I like that nickname!" said Alex happily, "Can I call you that sometimes? It's actually kinda pretty, don't you think?"

"If Harry makes it through this task, you can call me whatever you want," her friend said, waving her hand distractedly, "Look, what is she doing?"

It seemed the Fleur had cast a charm over the dragon. Alex hated to admit it but she was impressed. It was really hard to enchant a dragon since they had internal magic and all that usually counteracted the spells.

_"I feel…sleepy,"_ the dragon said in a woozy voice, _"What's happening to me?"_

"She's putting it to sleep!" Alex said, eyes wide, "I wonder what that spell was?"

"Well, it's looking. Look!"

The dragon curled up in a ball and was soon sleeping soundly. Fleur ran forward and grabbed the egg. Suddenly, the dragon let out a snort and a flame came out its nose and onto her skirt. Fleur jumped in fright but quickly put the flame out by sending water on it from her wand. The members of Beauxbatons and several members of the male populations cheered happily and loudly. Alex and Hermione clapped politely while rolling their eyes.

"I have to say, little miss sunshine didn't do so bad after all," said Alex with a shrug, "Oh look, Krum's up next! And his dragon is…shit!"

"What? What's wrong, Alex?" asked Hermione worriedly.

"Harry's got the Hungarian Horntail," Alex said, shaking slightly with fear, "See? Krum's got something else…looks like a Liondragon."

"A what?"

"A Chinese Fireball," said Alex quickly, "You can tell because of the snout. See how it hooks down like a beak? They're supposed to be really fast and clever for a dragon. I wonder what Krum has planned."

"I dunno. But why is it called Fireball? I mean, I got the Swedish Short-Snout because of its nose and the Common Welsh Green because of its color. I mean sure, it's scales are like fire but why—?"

Just then, the gong sounded and Krum sprinted forward. The dragon crouched down low over her eggs and looked furiously at the Durmstrang student.

_"Do you think that wise, human?"_ she said in a low tone, _"Very well, you asked for it!"_

The dragon let out a roar and fire leapt from its mouth. However, it almost seemed to mushroom out of the opening, looking as though a giant fireball was rushing towards the Bulgarian Seeker. With the thanks of quick reflexes, Krum rolled away from the flames.

"_That_ is why it's called the Chinese Fireball," whispered Alex while Hermione just nodded.

Krum raised his wand and shouted a spell that the crowd's noise covered up. Suddenly, Alex let out a shout and covered her ears.

"What's wrong?" asked Hermione, her voice slightly higher.

But Alex just shook her head as she leaned forward with her head on her legs. The dragon was screaming in confusion and fear. Krum had temporarily blinded the dragon so she couldn't see him grab the eggs. It wasn't until the dragon was subdued that Alex was able to look up.

"Are you all right?" her friend asked and Alex nodded. Hermione let out a sigh of relief and continued, "Krum got the egg, but the dragon crushed all the others. He'll get points off for that. No harm is supposed to come to the other eggs."

"Poor dragon," said Alex sadly, "She won't be happy when she gets her sight back and sees that her babies were killed by her."

Finally, it was Harry's turn. When he came out, Alex started a cheer of "We Will Rock You". He looked at the stands and Alex thought she saw a smile flicker on his face. However, when the dragon came out, Alex knew Harry wasn't smiling anymore. The Hungarian Horntail was a ferocious looking beast with black scales. Its eyes were golden yellow with slits for pupils, almost like a cats except far more frightening. Its head was covered with spikes but it was the tail that was the worst. Pointed spikes ranging from a few inches to the size of a fully-grown man covered the tail. Alex felt pain shoot down her hand and realized that Hermione was gripping it tightly.

"It's okay, Hermione," said Alex in a would-be-calm tone, "I mean, he's taken on the darkest wizard of all time. Compared to that, this should be a piece of cake."

Hermione just nodded but started violently when the gong sounded and the dragon let out a roar.

_"Time to die, human boy!"_ the Hungarian Horntail snarled.

As it opened its mouth to release a flame, Harry raised his wand and shouted, "_Accio Firebolt!_" There was silence, the dragon looking at Harry with amusement. Then there was a whoosh and Harry was flying through the air on his Firebolt. The dragon was confused for a second, but not for long. It spread its great wings and took off into the air after Harry. Suddenly, it stopped short because of its chains.

_"You think these chains can keep me in?"_ the dragon roared,_ "They are no match for me!"_

It opened its mouth and sent flames onto the metal. Alex watched in horror as the metal melted and the dragon gave a lurch, breaking the chain clean off. Harry saw this too and immediately took off as fast as he could, taking the dragon away from the stadium and towards the castle. Alex watched with a stomach full of cold fear as Harry suddenly shot off through the dragon's scaly legs and towards the stadium. Everyone was screaming and cheering as the Gryffindor dove to the ground, grabbed the egg, and fell off his broom. The Firebolt stopped shot, as if sensing its rider was missing, and waited wile hovering above the ground.

Alex screamed until her throat was sore. Harry had gotten the egg the fastest and was the least injured. The dragon was quickly subdued and taken away as everyone turned their attention to the judges. Madame Maxime, Karkaroff, Dumbledore, and Crouch were talking amongst themselves. Finally, Dumbledore amplified his voice. Hungarian Horntail

"We have decided to make the standings as follows: Fleur Delacore in third, Cedric Diggory in second, and a tie for first! Both Viktor Krum and Harry Potter are in first place. Congratulations all!"

The Gryffindors were very upset by this. Fred and George were booing and shouting curses and the judges. Even Hermione was upset.

"Honestly," she said angrily as they walked to the first aid tent to congratulate Harry, "Just because he's a great Quidditch player doesn't mean he's good at everything else."

"It's rigged," Alex ranted as they opened the flap, "The other schools are all upset 'cause we got two champions while they only got one each. I mean, come on! Harry did it the fastest and he's barely injured! And at least he didn't destroy an entire nest of dragon hatchlings!"

Harry was sitting on a bed getting his arm bandaged. Apparently while he dived to get the egg, his arm had gotten burned.

"Harry, you were amazing!" Hermione said happily, sitting on his bed and hugging him, "You should have gotten first place, if it weren't for that hair-flipping French girl."

"Thanks Hermione," said Harry. He held out the egg and Alex took it as he continued, "Bagman said our next clue is in the egg."

"We'll open it in the common room," said Alex.

Once Harry was ready to go, the three of them headed out of the tent. They passed Cedric's bed and Alex stopped. Cedric was pretty beat up, but his eyes fluttered open and he sat up to look at Alex.

"Nice job out there," said Alex with a smile, "You got third place by the way."

"Thanks," he said weakly, "And tell Harry thanks for, you know, giving me that tip about the task."

"I'll let him know," said Alex and followed her friends out of the tent an up to the castle. Once they reached the common room, they were greeted with cheers and shouts.

"Great show, Harry!" Lee Jordan shouted over the noise, patting Harry on the back.

Fred and George lifted Harry onto their shoulders and began carrying him around the common room. Alex and Hermione went to find a table and waited for Harry to get away from the praise. He finally came over and sat down, looking fully embarrassed and relieved.

"Let's hear see that clue, Harry," said Alex.

Harry found a clasp on the edge of the egg and unhooked it. It opened and a loud screeching was heard. Alex covered her ears as did the rest of the common room. She was only able to make out a few words.

"Come…voices…ground…hour…recover…we…"

Harry closed the egg and rubbed his ears. The Gryffindors quickly made their way up to their dormitories, in case their champion decided to open the egg again. A shadow appeared on the table and Alex, Hermione, and Harry looked up to see Ron standing in front of them, hands in his pockets.

"Look…Harry, I'm sorry for being a, you know…"

"Prat?' suggested Harry.

"Git?" asked Hermione, but she was smiling gratefully.

"Self-centered pig who refuses to use his brain?" Alex said coolly.

"Yeah, all that. I realize now only a total idiot would put his name in there."

The girls looked at Harry, waiting for his response. He shrugged and held out his hand. Ron grinned and grabbed it, doing some kind of man shake that made Alex and Hermione laugh.

"What?" the boys asked together.

"You're so weird!" said Alex, still laughing, "A simple "you're forgiven" will suffice. You all don't have to that whole "man hand-shake" thing!"

They all started laughing and Alex was happy everything was back to normal…well, life at Hogwarts was never normal when you were friends with Harry and Alex.

…...

A sign on the notice board the next day had all the Gryffindors nervous. They were to meet with Professor McGonagall later that afternoon. Fred and George were hiding all evidence of their prank items while Alex spent hours in the bathroom making sure she didn't look bad. She always felt like she was in trouble when McGonagall was around and she didn't want to get in trouble for a uniform violation. Finally, Alex and Hermione joined their fellow Gryffindors in the common room, in which the chairs had been moved for a large open area.

Once McGonagall entered the room, all talk ceased in an instant. She stood in the center and began talking in her stern voice.

"As some of you may or may not know, between the first and second task is the Yule Ball." At this, the girls around Alex started giggling and whispering excitedly. Alex just sighed, she never liked getting dressed up for formal events.

"Girls…thank you. Now, I am here to explain the proper dress code and proceedings for this event. Boys must wear dark dress robes, which must be neat and impeccable. Girls may wear dress robes if they wish but regular dresses may be worn as well. I know they are in fashion.

"I anticipate that every single Hogwarts student will be on their best behavior. No improper dress, dancing, or language is permitted. Remember that you represent your school as well as your house. I know all the Gryffindors will behave with some dignity.

"The dance will be held on Christmas Eve from seven to midnight. Only fourth years and older will be permitted, unless an older student asks one who is younger than fourth year. Dinner will be served there, the younger students eating in their common rooms. It will be a fun night for all and will help bring unity to three very different schools."

She spent the last few minutes going over length, cut, and color of dresses that she expected the girls to wear. When she left, the room began talking once more.

"Oh, I'm so excited!" Parvati said to Lavender, Hermione, and Alex as they were in their room, "I love dances!"

"Me too!" said Lavender, practically jumping up and down in her excitement, "We need to go shopping, all of us together next Hogsmede trip. What do you think we should wear?"

"Dresses," said Alex as she packed up her bag for school the next day, "There's more variety and I'd feel more comfortable in them."

"Same here," said Hermione, "But we need dates."

"You three won't have any problems," sighed Parvati, "You're all gorgeous! Guys'll be stalking you until you accept."

Alex burst out laughing. Parvati was one of the prettiest girls in the school with her slanted eyes and dark skin tone. When she told her this, Parvati just waved her hand.

"You're so much prettier than me," she said, "Haven't you seen the guys watching you all year?"

"What are you talking about?" Alex asked, sitting on her bed and staring at Parvati, "Guys don't like me like that, I'm just some girl they ask for about homework."

"Man Alex," said Lavender with a sad smile, "You need to open your eyes and see that every guy in the school wants to go out with you."

"Very funny guys," said Alex, starting to laugh but seeing none of them doing so, "And besides, I don't want to go out with just any guy, they need to treat me right. None of that using me for their benefit crap. I want a guy who likes me for me and all of me."

The girls just nodded and Alex went to change into her pajamas in the bathroom. Once she finished, she looked at herself in the mirror, really looked. Alex never considered herself a knock-out, but she knew she was pretty good-looking. But there was so much more to her. She was smart, funny, intuitive, and adventurous. She was loyal and always ready to take on anyone who messed with her or her friends. Alex knew that if a guy couldn't get past her pretty face, he wasn't worth much.

_Author's Note: So how did you like this chapter? A little more action-packed than the last one, huh? Hopefully this chapter makes up for the last one. I apologize if you were falling asleep because you were so bored. However, every chapter has important parts to it so keep that in mind. _

_I just wanted to let my readers know that I will be graduating next weekend and I have a ton of practices and end-of-the-year stuff this week. I will, of course, try to update as often as I can and when I do update, I may even do two chapters just because I know next weekend will be crazy. I will keep you all informed as the days go by because I know many of you really look forward to my next chapters._

_Thank you to everyone who reviewed, added me to their favorites, and put me on alert. You, the readers, are the reason why I keep posting chapters and your support is incredible. I can't tell you how many times I've had a bad day and I've checked my email to see a nice review in my inbox. It really makes my day a thousand times better. You guys are amazing and I don't think words can express how grateful I am for every single one of you. So thank you all for your love and support! :D_


	16. Chapter 14 ThePressures of Finding Dates

_Author's Note: Nope, still owning nothing…*grumbles angrily*_

Chapter 14 The Pressures of Finding Dates

November ended and December came with the first snow fall of the year. It started on a Sunday night and continued all day Monday, causing every class to be cancelled because the teachers needed to help Hagrid clear the walkways. Four Gryffindors in particular enjoyed their free day by sitting by the fire drinking hot chocolate and then bundling up to have a snowball fight with Fred, George, and Lee Jordan. The four forth years were defeated horribly by the older students only because the twins ambushed Alex and Hermione's fort and used it to gang up on Harry and Ron. Admitting defeat, they all went back in to warm up. As Alex warmed her hands by the fire, she realized her hat was still out there, used as a white flag by Harry and Ron to show surrender.

"Just get it later, Alex," said Ron as he nibbled on a Chocolate Frog that Harry had given him, "Come on, it's freezing out there and we just got warm!"

"You stay here, I won't be too long," Alex said as she got up, "If it snows anymore tonight, I won't be able to find it tomorrow."

She bundled up again and went out to find her hat. Alex searched the entire area without any luck, and was about to give up and go back inside.

"Lose something?"

She spun around and saw Draco holding her hat with a half-smile. She took it from his hands and they began walking in silence around the frozen lake where the Durmstrang ship was docked, unable to move because of the ice.

"My dad considered sending me there, you know," Draco said suddenly as they passed, "Thought it would be a better education there but my mum didn't like me being so far from home."

"Well I'm glad you didn't go there," said Alex, "I might've had to have Potions with just Snape." She gave a violent shiver and Draco laughed.

"He can be a little cold sometimes."

"A _little_ cold _sometimes_?" Alex said in shock, "His presence would freeze hell itself."

They continued walking, Alex's nose getting cold but she didn't want to go in, not yet. Ever since Parvati talked to her, Alex wanted to ask her new friend something.

"Draco," she said, stopping and he stopped too, "Do you think I'm pretty?"

"What? Why?"

"Just answer the question, please," said Alex, shifting nervously, "Am I pretty?"

"You're average," said Draco, but he was smiling jokingly.

"Oh thanks!" she said, slapping his arm playfully, "But is that all you see when you look at me?"

"No, not at all," he said, looking at her carefully, "I see a girl with a hell of a lot of determination, wit, and loyalty. I see someone who's eager to please but who isn't afraid of failure, someone who's extremely smart but not arrogant about it, someone who's more than a pretty face if that's what you're asking."

She smiled sweetly and hugged him. He seemed a little surprised but hugged Alex back.

"Thanks Draco," she said as they walked back to the castle, "That means a lot to me, it really does."

"You know, you'll have no trouble finding a date for the Yule Ball, if that's what you're worried about," Draco said.

"Yeah, I know," said Alex heavily, "You going to go?"

"I'd like to. You?"

"If the right guy comes along," said Alex and wiped her feet as she entered the Entrance Hall. "I'll see you later Draco! My friends are probably worried where I got to," she called over her shoulder as she dashed off up the stairs. Draco watched her go for a moment before chuckling, shoving his hands in his pockets, and walking back to his common room.

…...

The next evening at dinner, a Tuesday, Alex was in a terrible mood as she sat with Hermione, Ron, Harry, Parvati, and Lavender.

"Parvati," said Alex darkly, causing the girl to look frightened, "Hermione tells me you're good at Divination. Have you been crystal ball reading lately?"

"N-No," she said nervously, "Why do you ask?"

"Because you were right," Alex said angrily, slamming her hand on the table and causing plates and glasses to shift, "Guys have been stalking me all day! I come out of the girls' bathroom and five of them are loitering around waiting for me to come out! I had to use Hermione as a freakin' shield just to avoid them!"

"Did anyone ask you?" Lavender asked eagerly.

"Of course they did!" said Alex furiously, "But I told them any guy who waits for a girl to come out of a _toilet_ is a total creeper and I don't go on dates with creepers."

"But what if they were cute creepers?" Lavender asked, causing Alex to give her a mutinous look and Lavender resumed her meal.

Later that evening, Alex and Hermione arrived at the library. Alex counted silently to ten Mississippi and Krum entered. She gave Hermione a mischievous smile and Hermione looked worried.

"Oh no, I know that look. What are you doing?"

"Giving you and Krummy some good ol' fashioned time alone," she said and looked around.

Madame Pince was at the back of the library yelling at a group of first years who had knocked down a large pile of books. Quietly as she could, Alex went to the front of the library and transfigured one of the books into a large sign that read, "CAUTION: QUARANTINE AREA". She placed it on the door, pulled her hair up in a bun, and waited for the groupies to congregate. They came over and read the sign, yet they still opened the door.

"Whadya doin'?" Alex said angrily in an Italian accent, shutting the door in their faces, "You're allowed in here! Didn't ya read the sign!"

"There's no quarantine here," one girl said superiorly, "It was fine just a few minutes ago."

"Ah then, let me tell ya a little about this disease," Alex said, "You get these big warts on your face, an' these big pus balls on your backside." She used her hands as she talked, noticing looks of disgust forming on the girls' faces, "Can't sit down for weeks. Pity to have such beautiful faces scared with the warts…what with the dance comin' up an' all."

That did it. The girls spun around as fast as they could and sprinted off. Alex heard the girl who opened the door shout, "Not my face, anything but the face!"

"Gullible losers," said Alex, shaking her head and began wandering around the library, careful to avoid Hermione and Krum's table. Finally, she saw Krum leave the library and she returned to find Hermione working, her face many shades redder than usual.

"Spill the beans, Hermione," said Alex, sitting down happily, "What happened?"

"We talked…" she said.

"Well, no shit Hermione," Alex said sarcastically, "I'd be upset if you all didn't say a word to each other after all the work I had to do to get rid of his posse."

"We talked about my work, he told me a little about his school. He's a nice guy, smarter than people really think he is. Oh, and he asked me to the Yule Ball."

"No way," said Alex, jumping up and down in her seat, "Hermione, do you realize who he is? He's the most famous Seeker in all of Quidditch! Oh wait until I tell the other girls in the dorm! Well, Maggie won't give a damn but the others will be so excited!"

"Please don't tell anyone," said Hermione quickly, "I want it to be a surprise, see if anyone recognizes me without a book in my hand."

"Ron's gonna be jealous!" Alex whispered in a sing-song voice as they left the library. Hermione just waved her hand while blushing harder.

"Hey, how did you manage to get rid of his groupies?" asked Hermione, changing the subject. When Alex explained her plan, the other girl started laughing hard. She finally composed herself enough to say, "My Merlin, Alex! You are absolutely insane!"

"And that's why you're friends with me," said Alex, throwing an arm around her best friend as they continued their trek.

They soon arrived at the common room and found the boys sitting by the fire, seeming to be sulking. Alex sat down by Harry, who jumped when she arrived.

"Why the long faces guys?" Alex asked cheerfully.

"We need dates," said Harry, "And we can't find any. The ball's only two weeks away."

"Don't worry boys," said Hermione, "Just go up and ask someone. They're bound to say yes."

The boys just sighed together and stared at the flames.

…...

"Tonight, I want you all to study hard for the quiz tomorrow," Professor Nellie shouted as they students were leaving Arithmancy class.

"You go on ahead," Alex said to Hermione as she tried to fit her stuff into her bag, "Just let Professor Flitwick know I'm coming."

Hermione nodded and left. Draco stayed too but Alex jerked her head to the door. He nodded and left too. The only person left was the Ravenclaw boy, Nick. He too seemed to have trouble fitting his things into his bag.

"I think," said Alex as she jammed her books in hard, "We either need bigger bags or smaller textbooks."

"I second that," Nick said, zipping his bag and throwing it over his shoulder, "Where you headed next?"

"Charms, but Hermione will let Flitwick know I'm running a little late. You ready for the quiz?"

"I think so, I'm just a little confused on the last section. You?"

"For the first time, I can honestly say I'm totally prepared," said Alex happily. She didn't mention that Draco was coaching her through the sections during their Potions' meetings.

"That's good," Nick said as they walked down the empty corridor, everyone else already in their classes, "You going to the ball?"

"I'd like to," said Alex, "But no one's really _asked_ me, they've more like stalked me around the school."

"You want to come with me?"

Alex stopped and turned around. She didn't know a lot about Nick, only that she always saw him in the library when she was there and he was always nice to her. She must've been quiet for a while because Nick spoke again.

"You don't have to, if you don't want to that is," he said quickly, looking away as he spoke, "I mean, I know you and Malfoy are close, I just thought he didn't want to ask you so I thought I would. Never mind, pretend I never said anything."

"No, Nick," said Alex, "Draco's a friend, that's all. I'd love to go with you, but just as friends, okay?"

"Sure!" said Nick, beaming, "I'll meet you at the Great Hall before the dance starts. I'll see you later, Alex!"

At lunch, Alex quietly told Hermione what happened. Her friend reacted just as Alex expected her to: she was practically jumping with excitement.

"Oh Alex!" she said joyfully, "Now I won't be alone!"

"What? Harry and Ron still date-less?" Alex asked Hermione, who nodded as both Harry and Ron came over.

"Hermione, what did Neville want after Charms?" Ron asked. Neville had asked Hermione to wait up for him and he needed to talk to her.

"Oh, nothing," said Hermione, turning pink, "He asked me to the Yule Ball. But I said I was already going with someone."

"Neville asked you? Wow Ron," said Harry with a laugh, "We really need to find dates."

Ron however wasn't listening. He was staring at Hermione as though he was seeing her for the first time.

"Hermione, I just realized something," he said and Hermione looked up quickly, eyes alight with hope, "You and Alex are girls."

The hope in Hermione's eyes disappeared and she frowned angrily, looking highly affronted.

"No Ron," said Alex sarcastically, "Hermione and I are really guys in drag. OF COURSE WE'RE BLOODY GIRLS! Merlin, are you really that daft?"

"I mean, you could go with us," said Ron, ignoring Alex's rant and the strange looks that people were giving them, "Alex, you can go with Harry because you both are practically joined at the hip anyway and I'll take Hermione."

"Did you not hear Hermione tell you that she told Neville she was taking someone already?" asked Alex hotly, "Or were you too busy playing Sherlock Holmes?"

"Oh come off it," said Ron, looking at Hermione who was shaking with anger, "You just told Neville that to get him off your back."

"I did not!" said Hermione loudly, causing more students to turn their heads to the Gryffindor table, "Ronald Weasley, just because it took you four years to realize I'm a girl doesn't mean it's taken everyone else that long!"

She stormed out of the Great Hall in a fury. Alex got up to follow, but Ron wasn't finished yet.

"Well then, Alex can go with Harry and I'll just-"

"I'm already going with someone," said Alex, "Sorry Harry, try Parvati though. She's still single."

"Thanks Alex, but I have someone in mind," said Harry, eyes becoming glazed. Ron was furious.

"And what am I supposed to do?" he shouted.

"I have an idea," said Alex coolly, "Why don't you take Neville, seeing as you both need dates?"

When Alex reached the common room, she found Hermione and Ginny sitting by the fire. She joined them and sighed.

"You okay, Hermione?" Alex asked.

"I was pretty much called a guy, how do you think I feel?" said Hermione crossly.

"Hermione," said Ginny, "My brother's a moron sometimes. He talks before he thinks. I'm sure he didn't mean anything bad by it."

Regardless, Hermione didn't talk to Ron until the end of the week after Ron begged for her to talk so she could tell him what was wrong with his Transfiguration essay.

When Alex went up to the dormitory that night, she saw Parvati and Lavender giggling on Lavender's bed. Hermione was in the bathroom and Maggie was somewhere. She could've been lying in a ditch somewhere and Alex wouldn't have cared.

"What's so funny?" asked Alex as she got her pajamas ready.

"Parvati was asked to the ball," said Lavender through her giggles.

"Oh really?" said Alex happily, "That's fantastic! Who are you going with?"

"She told him no."

Alex looked over at the girls and frowned. Both of them had been complaining from the beginning that they wanted to go but no one had asked them. Then some guy asks Parvati and she tells him no? Very odd.

"Care to explain?" Alex asked, leaning against her bedpost.

"Neville asked me to the ball during Divination class," explained Parvati through her laughter, "Neville Longbottom, can you believe it? Well, I obviously told him that I didn't want to go with him. He looked so sad but I mean, really? Neville and me? I started laughing, I couldn't help it!"

Again, she and Lavender burst into laughter and Alex cracked a smile, which looked more like a grimace. Poor Neville, getting rejected by Hermione and Lavender. At least with Hermione, she had been kind about it. It seemed as though Lavender was less…tactful in her response.

…...

"Draco!" Alex shouted as she barged into the empty classroom on Saturday evening, waving a paper in her hands and beaming widely.

"What? What's wrong?" Draco asked, standing up quickly.

"Look! Look at my quiz!" she said and handed it to him, jumping up and down on the balls of her feet.

"Is this from Arithmancy?"

"Yes! It's my first "E"! I got an "E" in Arithmancy, all thanks to you!"

Alex threw her arms around Draco and felt her feet lift off the ground. Draco had spun her around and set her down. Alex looked at him, his eyes full of pride and he was smiling.

"I knew you could do it," he whispered, "Next time, you'll get an "O"."

He seemed to want to say something else, but stopped himself. He let her go and she looked at him curiously before shrugging as they began their work on another potion. They were getting steadily more difficult and more time consuming. Alex didn't mind; she enjoyed her time in the dungeons, even if it was below freezing and her breath was visible.

"Have you found anyone to go to the ball with?" Alex asked as she tried to keep her hands warm.

"Yeah, I'm going with Pansy," said Draco as he measured the powdered taproot on the scales, "She kind of forced me into taking her. You?"

"Nick asked me, the Ravenclaw in our Arithmancy class," said Alex. Draco nodded and dumped the root into the potion, causing it to sizzle and turn an ebony-metallic color.

"Pansy said she's going to wear dress robes, are you too?" he asked.

"No, I'm used to wearing dresses so I'll wear that. I just have no idea what to wear. It sounds pretty fancy and I don't have any really fancy dresses."

"You know where Grandma Hinkins is?" he asked and Alex nodded, "There's a dress shop right across the street from it."

He wrote down directions for Alex so she would know how to find her way there and back. As they were leaving, he asked her something.

"Do you think Nick will mind if you save a song for me?" he asked as he opened the door for her.

"We're just going as friends so I don't see why not," said Alex with a smile, "Only as long as you're a good dancer."

"There's only one way to find out then," he said mischievously and left with a wink.

Alex rolled her eyes and chuckled as she headed back to her common room. It was empty except for her midnight black owl, who was sitting on a table and waiting for her patiently.

_"A letter from your father,"_ Monty said as he nibbled her fingers.

_"And how did he take the news of me going to the Yule Ball?"_ she asked as she untied the letter.

_"Just like you thought he would. He was fine up until he realized you had to go with a guy. Then he started cursing when he read that you couldn't tell him much about the guy since you didn't know much yourself. Don't worry, you'll read all about it in the letter,"_ said Monty.

Alex sighed and allowed Monty to sit on her shoulder as she sat on the couch with her letter. She opened it and began reading it to herself.

_Dear Alex,_

_I can only imagine what Hogwarts it like now, with everyone getting ready for the upcoming dance. We had a Masquerade Ball during my seventh year and that caused a lot of hype amongst the students. When you get to that part in your mother's diary, you will see what I mean._

_I read what you told me of poor Mr. Longbottom. I know you feel terribly, as you should. What that girl did to him was inexcusable and cruel. But don't worry, Alex. I am sure that one day, Neville will meet a girl who understands his love of plants and finds him attractive. In the meantime, just keep being a good friend to him like I know you are._

_Poor Ron and Harry. I do feel quite bad for them. I remember the first time Remus and James asked a girl out. They were so frightened! I was the exception since I was never nervous around girls. What can I say? I'm just gifted like that!_

_Now as I am sure your owl told you, I was less than pleased with your letter as you told me about your date. This is the point where I act like a father and tell you what I think. How can you go to the dance with a boy you hardly know? You don't know his personality, his likes or dislikes, his attitude towards the things you enjoy or hate! I understand that you want to go to the dance, but couldn't you have chosen a Gryffindor at least? Nothing against Ravenclaw, but at least then you will know more about them because you share a common room. Promise me, Alex, to be very careful. I know I sound like a crotchety old man who is trying to ruin your fun, but I am quite serious. See? I'm so serious that I didn't even crack a joke there! But in all honestly, I worry about you. You are so much like your mother in that you are drop-dead gorgeous and have no idea. Take it from the guy who married your mother: there were many guys who wanted to be in my position and would have done __anything__ to do so. Then there's also the fact that someone is out to kill Harry. You know that if Harry is a target, they are thinking about you as well. Be on your guard and make sure that Harry and your other friends are always within sight. You may think I'm just being over-protective, but just do it to make your old man happy, please?_

_I want you to still have a fun night, though. The Yule Ball is one of the oldest Wizarding traditions and is bound to be a lot of fun. Enjoy this time with your friends and go out there and have the time of your life. And don't forget to write and tell me all about it afterwards. Know that I love you more than life itself and I am just trying to look after you. Say hi to everyone for me!_

_With love,_

_Orion_

Alex sighed and rolled up the parchment. She wasn't angry with her father, but perhaps slightly frustrated. What was the big deal if she didn't know Nick that well? A ton of girls were being set up by friends and they didn't know the guy. At least she knew Nick from class and from seeing him in the library.

_But those girls don't have an evil dark wizard hunting them,_ she thought heavily.

Shaking her head, Alex petted Monty for a moment before going up to her dormitory. She set her owl on her trunk and watched as he put his head under his wing and fell asleep. Alex climbed into bed, pulled the covers up to her chin, and stared at the fabric above her bed as she thought. Her father was right; she would have to be careful. She just wished for once, for one night, she could be a normal teenage girl.

_Author's Note: Yeah, I know I kinda ended it on a sadder note. But this chapter as so much fun in it, I thought you all wouldn't mind. ;) _

_I'm really excited to hear what you guys thought of this chapter! Yes, after waiting patiently for so long, you finally know who Alex is taking to the Yule Ball! What do you think of him? I'm curious as to your guys' opinions. And how about Alex's reaction to Ron? I had a blast writing that part because I know if I had a guy friend who said that about me, I'd be just as mad as she and Hermione were. Of course, I want to know what you thought of the Alex/Draco scenes. That's always a given. ;) Finally, what did you think of poor Neville in this chapter? I always felt so bad for him, but don't worry my fellow Neville-lovers. For once, it's Sirius who's the wise one. You may ask, "silvermoony77, what do you mean?" And my response is this: I'm not even going to tell you, Readers, you'll find out soon enough. Haha! ;D_

_Thank you, as always, to my awesome readers out there. Thanks to you all, we reached over 100 reviews! Words cannot even begin to describe how happy this makes me. You guys are the greatest readers in the world and deserve a virtual pat on the back (since I actually don't know who you are…). Now, I have a bit of a surprise for you all…are you ready? Okay, this is actually a double update! I know, not much of a surprise since you probably got the notification for it but just pretend like it was a surprise and make me happy! Anyway, I'll delay you no longer so go forth and read, after you review this chapter of course. I really do want to know what you thought of this chapter. :D_


	17. Chapter 15 Preparations

_Author's Note: If I were J.K Rowling, I think I would've said something by now. Since I haven't and I am not her, I only own Alex and anything you don't recognize._

Chapter 15 Preparations

The weekend before the Yule Ball, there was a Hogsmede trip. That Saturday, the Gryffindor fourth year girls, minus Maggie, bundled up warmly and headed to the village. Alex had told them she knew a place that sold dresses. Glancing down at the directions Malfoy gave her, she led the way down twisting alleyways, praying she wasn't lost. They finally reached the street and found the store.

"Well ladies, here's our stop. Have a fun time and if you'll excuse me, I'm going to be at The Three Broomsticks with a nice warm mug of Butterbeer," said Alex as she tried to run but Hermione grabbed her.

"No way in Merlin, Alex!" she hissed, "If I have to go in there with them, you have to as well. Do you seriously want me to lose my mind?"

"Yeah, actually. Then I could borrow your brain for the upcoming History of Magic test," said Alex cheekily but she linked arms with Hermione and walked through the door.

Leaving their coats and other stuff at the front of the store, the girls began their search. Parvati and her twin sister, Padma, were able to find two exotic looking dresses. One was a dull red with a gold hem that was sleeveless and went to their mid-shin. It came with a matching wrap. The other was the same but it was a mild blue with a silver hem. With their hair pulled back in a braid, the twins would look like they just flew in from India. However, neither of the girls had dates yet and complained their dresses would just sit in their closets and collect dust. Alex decided not to mention to Parvati that she had, in fact, been asked and could've had a date. She didn't want to get into an argument with two of her roommates in one year.

Lavender found a gorgeous strapless dress that came just above her knee. It was tight in the bodice but came out just enough at the waist down with a see-through material over the bottom. To Alex's great enjoyment, the color of the dress was lavender, though Lavender insisted it was a light purple and wouldn't listen when Alex told her lavender _was_ light purple. Eventually, she just stopped trying to make her friend understand and just nodded and smiled.

Hermione was very picky about her dress. She finally decided on a light pink dress that, in the front, came up to her knee and became gradually longer towards the back. It had straps and the front of the dress came straight across the chest.

Finally, Alex found one she really loved. It was an emerald green, full-length gown with silver threads woven in so that when she walked, there was a silver sparkle to the dress. When Alex came out of the dressing room with the dress on, her friends gasped and stared in awe.

"Wow Alex," said Lavender, "That looks amazing on you, even though it has the Slytherin colors."

"They have it in red you know," said Parvati, "Do you want to get that one instead?"

"They don't have my size," said Alex, looking in a mirror and twirling around to see every inch, "And besides, everyone knows I'm a Gryffindor and what's wrong with wearing something different for a change?"

Next were the accessories. The Patil twins got matching golden Romanesque sandals with golden bangles and chandelier earrings.

Lavender got a pair of strappy, very high-heeled, silvery shoes. Alex thought it amazing she could even walk in them. Lavender's jewelry consisted of silver hoops and a silver chain with a heart pendant.

Hermione found a pair of heels, not too high but had just enough height, that was the same color as her dress. She also got a pair of pink flower stud earrings with a matching necklace.

Alex found a pretty bracelet that was made of crystals along with a similar necklace and pair of earrings. She also got a pair of silvery high-heels, not as high as Lavender's but higher than Hermione's. The ladies running the store said that the girls could leave their purchases at the front desk and that they would bring them up to the castle for them. The girls thanked the ladies and went back out into the cold.

"Hang on guys," said Alex as her friends headed back the way they had come, "I promised someone I'd visit. Come on!"

She led the girls into Grandma Hinkins' Homemade Fudge store, the bell ringing as they entered. Mrs. Hinkins came from the back and smiled warmly at the girls.

"Hello there, Alex," the old woman said, "Welcome back! I see you brought some friends with you."

"This is Parvati and Padma Patil, Lavender Brown, and Hermione Granger," Alex introduced, "I just wanted them to see this place."

"Well I'm glad you brought them, business has been a little slow but it'll pick up as the holidays come," Mrs. Hinkins said hopefully.

Alex chatted with the owner as her friends went around with wide-eyes, looking at the sweets hungrily. Eventually, they each bought a mixed bag of sweets and left.

"This stuff is delicious!" said Lavender as she munched on a Muggle candy bar, "I haven't had one of these since I was eleven!"

"She should go onto the main street," said Hermione as she struggled to chew her caramel sweets, "People would go nuts for this stuff."

"She can't, there's "not enough room"," said Alex using air quotes and a sarcastic tone, "It all comes down to business. Honeydukes doesn't want to have to compete with another company."

The girls reached the main road and went their separate ways. Alex still had to buy for her father and she wanted to get something for Draco. For her dad, she found a really nice pocket photo album that she would fill with pictures. Draco however, she had a much harder time looking for.

Alex stepped into a watch shop and began searching for something nice, but not too expensive. As Alex was passing, she saw a beautifully made gold plated watch. Its face had the numbers in golden writing with an emerald green background.

"Sir, how much is this?" she asked.

The owner pulled it out and checked the price.

"One hundred Galleons, five Sickles, and three Knuts," the man said and Alex's face fell.

"Wow," she said, staring at the watch, "That's a little out of my price range. Is there anything like it but not as expensive?"

"This is an original," the man said, seeming to be thinking, "Who would this be for?"

"A very good friend of mine," said Alex, "He's helped me a lot this year and I wanted to get him something really nice. Thank you, I'll just keep looking."

"Wait a moment," the man said as Alex turned to leave, "I could lower the price if you give me your necklace."

"No," said Alex in an instant, "This was my mother's, the only thing I have left of hers. I wouldn't give it up for anything in the world."

"Fine then," the man said, "The price is eighty-five galleons."

"I see," said Alex hesitantly. It was better, but still too much.

"Eighty galleons, that's my final offer. I'm practically giving it away."

"Sixty-five galleons or I'm gone," said Alex. She liked bargaining.

"Lady!" the man cried angrily, "I have a family to feed too you know! That's much too low, I won't accept it. I'll give this watch to you for seventy galleons and six sickles, and let me tell you, you won't find anyone else in all of London who would give you such a price."

Alex paid the man and took the watch. She was walking up to the castle when she heard her name called. She spun around and saw Draco coming toward her. Quickly as she could, she hid the watch behind her back and tried to look normal.

"Hey Alex, still shopping for gifts?" he asked.

"Just finished," she said as they walked, trying to keep her packages out of sight, "How about you?"

"Yeah, I did my Christmas shopping and had to buy new dress robes. My old ones were too short. You need help carrying those?" he asked, seeing her struggling.

"Nope, I'm fine," she said quickly, silently thanking fate for then reaching the castle doors, "I'll see you later, Draco!"

She tore up the stairs, barely noticing Draco's confused expression. She reached the common room and went to her dormitory to wrap her gifts. She found the fudge must have had a charm to keep it fresh because it didn't look stale at all. Once she finished, she put her friends' gifts by her night table and took the rest to the Owlry to be sent. Monty wasn't able to carry them all so Alex recruited other school owls to help Monty out.

When Alex returned, she found Harry, Hermione, and Ginny sitting around a very pale Ron.

"What's up?" she asked, "Ron's wand didn't backfire again, did it?"

"Ron tried to ask Fleur Delacore out," said Ginny, "Actually, he more like shouted her out. It was kind of scary."

"Well, did she say yes?" asked Hermione impatiently.

Ron made a noise that Alex had no idea what it stood for. Harry translated for them.

"She just stared at him and walked away," said Harry, "See, we promised not to come back to the common room without dates. I guess it didn't work out too well."

"You mean you still don't have anyone to take?" asked Ginny casually. Alex had to commend her for that. She knew Ginny had a thing for Harry since she first met him.

"I told you two," said Alex, "Take Parvati and Padma, they don't have dates."

"Hey Ron," said Harry as though a light bulb just turned on, "I have an idea, be right back."

Harry got up and went over to Parvati. She smiled and nodded, telling him something. He thanked her and left, coming over to their group with a relieved look on his face.

"I just asked Parvati if she could go with me and she said yes. Ron, she said her sister needed a date, she's in Ravenclaw."

"Good thinking, Harry," said Ron, recovering from his mute state, "Why didn't we do that before?"

"You guys are the most," said Alex, taking a step towards them, "deaf, idiotic," she took another one, the boy backing up, "people I ever met. You're so…so…so like a guy!"

She stormed off to the dormitory and Harry and Ron looked at each other.

"What? Was it something we said?" Ron asked Hermione, who just sighed and went up to bed.

…...

With the Christmas season drawing ever closer, the castle began showing off its Christmas spirit. Alex was out on the snow covered grounds helping Hagrid choose the Christmas trees that would be decorated in the Great Hall. They had already done three and were choosing the last one.

"You think this is tall enough?" Alex asked, pointing to the tallest one she saw.

"Good eye there," Hagrid said and began cutting it down. When he finished, they carried the tree together, Hagrid taking the brunt of the load.

"Hello there, 'Agrid!" Madame Maxime said in an annoyingly girlish voice, "Vould you help me with ze carriage? Ze wheels are caught in ze ice."

"O' course!" said Hagrid eagerly and dropped the tree, leaving Alex alone with an at least ten footer to carry back.

"No really, Hagrid," shouted Alex as Hagrid took off, "I'm fine! Yes, I know it weighs ten times as much as I do, but I got it! Thanks for asking!"

Hagrid either didn't hear her or ignored her. Sighing heavily, Alex pulled out her wand and muttered a spell. The tree hovered and Alex walked it into the school, set it in the corner of the Great Hall, and went back outside to see if Hagrid needed her to do anything else. Not seeing him around, Alex went back indoors and wiped flakes of snow off her hat and hair.

"What are you doing?"

Alex jumped and turned to see Filch shaking with anger. Mrs. Norris was looking pleased with herself.

"Look at this floor!" he shouted and Alex looked behind her. There were wet footprints were she had walked, but they would dry in no time, "I spent all yesterday making this floor sparkle and here you come and ruin it!"

"I'm sorry sir," said Alex sincerely. She forgot that Filch was a Squib and while a normal wizard would have spent five minutes tops cleaning a floor with his wand, Filch had to do it by hand, "I'll clean it up if you want me to."

So Alex waved her wand and it was clean. Filch grunted and went off, Mrs. Norris following. Alex shrugged and decided to take a trip to the Owlry. She hadn't been there in a while and missed the chattering of her owl friends.

Alex arrived and closed her eyes, listening to all of the noise. To anyone else, they would have heard a confused jumble of hoots and flapping wings. But to Alex, it was just like walking into the Great Hall or any other crowded place. Of course, the topics of conversation were about mice and wind patterns instead of upcoming tests and the dance.

_"Alex! Alex, I found him!"_ came the call of her owl as Monty swooped in and landed on the ledge by her head.

_"Found who? What's the matter?"_ asked Alex in obvious confusion.

_"I found Professor Lupin! He was hiding out in a cave so it took me forever to find him,"_ Monty explained with excitement,_ "When I found him, I went inside but he wasn't there at first. He came in but wasn't surprised; he seemed to know who I was. He asked me to deliver this to you."_

Monty held out his leg and Alex quickly removed the letter, slipping her owl a treat and going to the window. She unrolled the letter and her eyes scanned the page like lightning, eager to hear about her old professor.

_Dear Alex,_

_When I returned to my extremely humble abode, you can imagine my surprise when I saw this very familiar owl sitting on my cot, cleaning his feathers. However, I soon realized that I should have expected this. Like your mother and aunt, you never give up on those who you call friends. _

_I suppose you will want to know what I have been up to since Hogwarts. Currently, I am still looking for work. As your owl probably told you, I am living in a cave but only during my time of the month. I have a small apartment in London and still managing to pay the rent. I have an interview with a Wizarding school in Scotland next week so we shall see what happens there. I did enjoy teaching you and your fellow students very much so hopefully I can continue doing that. If not, perhaps I could work in a bookstore up in the Scottish hills. When I left Hogwarts, that was what I did._

_I have talked with Orion a little bit and he seems well, does he not? I'm sure he is much happier not being in that cage anymore. He told me about the TriWizard Tournament at Hogwarts and about how Harry was entered. _

_Alex, I must ask you to keep an eye on Harry. Like his father, Harry has the uncanny ability to get himself in big trouble without meaning to. Make sure he doesn't do anything rash. I ask this of you as well. You are like your mother in that you have a fiery temper. While this is good because you let people know exactly what you think, it is also a curse. Your temper takes over your judgment and makes you do things that you would not normally do if you were thinking clearly. I know your father is worried about you and I am as well. Dark magic is trying to get into Hogwarts and it has evil plans for you and Harry. Be on your guard and stay safe._

_I do not know how often I will be able to write with you. Most of my time and energy will be spent finding a job and trying to settle down. Perhaps once things are more stable and calm, I will be able to keep up a more consistent correspondence. Give my best to Elian and say hello to Harry, Ron, and Hermione for me._

_Sincerely,_

_Moony_

Alex stared at the letter in her hands for a moment, eyes burning with tears of anger and frustration. Again, she was being told to watch her back and be a good girl! Why couldn't her father and Lupin trust her? She wasn't a baby anymore, but a fourteen-year-old girl! And sure, she had a bad temper, but it was so much better than it used to be. For the first three years of Hogwarts, little things used to set her off. Now, she was able to restrain herself for the most part. Certain things still angered her and would set her over the edge, especially if it was done by the Slytherins, but at least she wasn't afraid to stand up for what she believed in!

And who did they think they were? They only knew her for one year! That was barely anytime at all, yet they acted like they knew exactly what she would do in situations. Alex understood that she was a lot like her mother, but that was it. She was a lot _like_ her; she wasn't her. Alex was her own person and could make her own decisions. She wouldn't do everything her mother did, make all the same mistakes that she might have made while at school.

Alex stared at the letter once more. It was so distant, so cold. It was as if her previous professor was annoyed and didn't want to be bothered with her anymore now that he was out of Hogwarts. She knew that he was probably under a lot of stress, but that didn't soothe the pain in her heart as she reread those words. Fine, if he didn't have time to keep up a correspondence, she wouldn't bother him anymore.

_"Alex,"_ Monty said softly, nipping her lightly on the arm,_ "Why are you shedding tears?"_

Alex put a hand to her cheek and realized her tears had overflowed down her cheeks. She wiped her eyes and looked out the window.

_"Professor Lupin was always very polite,"_ she said with a dark chuckle, her voice bitter, _"This was his way of saying he doesn't have time to write to me. But he still found space to tell me that I need to be a good little girl and not get into trouble. Just keep my head down and make sure Harry does the same."_

_"You know he does have a lot to worry about,"_ said Monty gently,_ "Perhaps he told you those things so he doesn't have something else to worry about as he is busy with other things. He really does care about you, Alex."_

_"I know, Monty. I just wish they'd stop telling me to be good. Yeah, I get that I have a horrible temper but it's not my fault!"_ she said angrily, _"I try my best and isn't that what counts?"_

_"Of course, Alex. As long as you try your best and are careful, that is all anyone can ask of you. Don't be angry at them; they are just trying to show you how much they care. It seems they are not the best at showing it, though."_

Alex sighed and petted Monty's head, feeling herself calm down. The anger was still there, like a burning acid in the pit of her stomach, but Alex knew that what her owl said was right. It still hurt and bothered her, but she just had to try and keep her eyes open. And Alex would make sure nothing happened to Harry in this tournament, even if she had to use that fiery temper of hers to fuel her attack.

That night in the common room, Alex showed Harry the letter she received. Harry read it, his eyes slowing down and rereading parts. When he finished, he looked at the letter before raising an eyebrow at Alex.

"So what are you going to do?" he asked and Alex knew he was referring to if she would write back or not.

"Nothing," she said with a shrug, "If he's too busy, I don't want to bother him. Merlin forbid I show signs of concern or anything."

Harry nodded and Alex knew he was holding back his anger as well. She put a hand on his arm and gave him a half smile. He tried to smile back, but it faltered as he stared at the fire. Alex stood up, took the letter from Harry, and threw it in the fire.

"Don't let his words get you upset," she said kindly, but firmly, "He's just trying to do his best to protect us. All that matters is that we stick together. Besides," she added with a wry smile, "With your amazing Defense Against the Dark Arts skills and my fiery temper, no one would dare take the two of us on as a team."

Harry chuckled and said, "Thanks Alex, I needed that."

"You're welcome, Harry. That's what friends are for," she said with a grin and bade him good night.

…...

"Have a Merry Christmas children! For those of you attending the Yule Ball, I'll be seeing you there!"

Professor Nellie's last Arithmancy class of the day was packing up quickly to get back to their common rooms to begin the start of their holiday. As Nick left, he smiled at Alex and waved. She waved back and was about to leave when Professor Nellie called her back.

"Miss Ratcliff," the old man wheezed, "I just want to congratulate you on your amazing progress this term. You have made quite an improvement."

"Well sir," said Alex smiling happily, "I couldn't have done it without Mr. Malfoy. He's been tutoring me every week and I think that's made the difference."

"Keep it up then, Miss Ratcliff," Professor Nellie said, "I'm glad to see that his House doesn't affect your friendship in the least."

Alex said good-bye and left the classroom. She was walking down the hall when a figure popped out of a corner and startled her.

"Draco!" she said, clutching her heart but grinning, "Holy Merlin, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Of course not," he said with a mischievous smile, "Then I wouldn't have a Potions partner. So, what did Professor Nellie want?"

"He wanted to tell me how happy he was of my improvement in his class," said Alex as they walked together down an empty corridor, "And I told him that it was probably because of you helping me."

"You would have figured it out without my help," said Draco, turning a little pink, "But thanks for saying that. What did he think of that?"

"He said he was pleased that our houses hadn't affected our friendship," said Alex, "My friends don't really like me hanging out with you every Friday, imagine if they knew you tutored me!"

"Yeah, Crabbe and Goyle would just stare at me like I was some circus attraction."

He did an impression by opening his eyes wide and his mouth open stupidly. Alex let out a bark of laughter and Draco smiled.

"But my whole House would disown me if they knew everything," he said with a touch of sadness.

Alex opened a door to an empty classroom and they entered, sitting on the desks next to each other.

"It's a shame that we can't be friends openly," said Alex sadly, "I feel like I'm leading another life and that if anyone knew about it, something really bad would happen."

They were silent for a little while, just enjoying each other's company. Draco had that way about him where he could be comforting even when he didn't say a word.

"You know, Alex," Draco said quietly, "I never really got to choose my House; my father chose for me. The Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Ravenclaw but I knew that when my father found out I wasn't a Slytherin, he'd never talk to me again."

Alex was taken aback by this statement. Even as she had gotten to know Draco more, she had always thought he wanted to be a Slytherin. In fact, Alex really couldn't picture her friend anywhere else. Then again, she did remember the Sorting Hat staying on Draco's head for a bit.

"Everyone has pressure from their parents, Draco," said Alex kindly, "It's natural for them to want the best for you."

"You don't know my father," said Draco darkly, "All he wants is for me to not attract too much unwanted attention. He doesn't care about what I want, only that I do what he says, when he says."

Alex didn't know what to do. She wanted to say something to make him feel better, but she knew there was nothing. So she just put her hand on his and patted it gently. He took her hand in his and sighed.

"This is my own little way of fighting back," he said, still holding her hand, and added quickly, "Not that it happened that way, I've only just realized that."

"So you didn't just choose a random Gryffindor girl to hang out with just to annoy your father?" Alex asked with a half-smile.

He looked up at her and smiled too. "No, everything happens for a reason. And I hope to Merlin this happened for a good one."

Alex smiled and looked down at her hand, which was still in Draco's. He noticed this too and patted it lightly before letting go as they fell into companionable silence. Eventually the two fourth years headed back to their dormitories, each feeling the excitement of the holidays coming closer.

_Author's Note: Another chapter completed! Like the last one, I'm really curious as to what you thought of this chapter! Did you enjoy dress shopping with the girls? How about Lupin's letter? I figured that in the original stories, there had to be a good reason why Lupin and Harry never corresponded so this is sort of my way of explaining that. Plus, I love Remus and wanted him to at least make an appearance in this book. __And what about Draco in this chapter? If you remember in the first book, the Sorting Hat took some time with Draco. Now you know why! :)_

_Like I said last chapter, we have reached over 100 reviews! This is absolutely huge for me because I never thought I would get this many reviews for a story before! So thank you to all of my reviewers and if you haven't reviewed before, I encourage you to do so. I love hearing from my readers and their opinions/ideas/thoughts on the story. :D_


	18. Chapter 16 The Yule Ball

_Author's Note: *creeps in slowly* Hey guys…long time no see, huh? *chuckles nervously but stops when no one else laughs* Um, so I know it's been over two weeks since my last update and I would like to apologize for that. I'll give you my sorry excuse later, you've waited long enough for this without me talking right now. So, without further ado, here is the chapter you've all been waiting for…the Yule Ball!_

Chapter 16 The Yule Ball

"Ouch Parvati, that was my eye!" said Lavender as she rubbed her eye.

"Well, you keep moving away from me!" snapped Parvati, who was holding an eye shadow brush.

It was the day of the Yule Ball and the fourth year Gryffindor girls were getting ready. Maggie had managed to get into the Slytherin common room and was getting ready with her "real" friends.

"Are you sure this'll work, Alex?" Hermione asked, looking nervously at the gel Alex was running through her friend's bushy hair.

"You bet!" she said, "I whipped it up myself yesterday evening, it's as fresh as can be."

Alex had mysteriously received a package two days ago with a book of witch's beauty tips. All the note said was, "Knock that Ravenclaw dead! Of course I don't mean literally, what kind of a father would say that…? Please don't answer that question. Your loving canine, Orion." Alex had found a hair straightening potion and had made it for them all to use, mostly Hermione because everyone else's hair was manageable.

"Now let that soak for five minutes while I get everything else ready," said Alex. She washed her hands off in the bathroom and pulled out her make-up bag she had asked Uncle Monty to send her. She then pulled out her wand and looked up the curling iron spell. By that time, Hermione had washed her hair and was sitting in a chair by a mirror Alex had conjured for them to use.

Alex began putting Hermione's now straight hair into an up-do. She let a few strands by Hermione's face hang down and some of her hair drape over her shoulder. When she finished, Alex let Hermione take a look.

"Oh wow," Hermione whispered, looking at herself and using a mirror to see the back of her head, "I look amazing."

Alex then helped do Hermione's make-up, deciding to go light for her friend. Hermione never wore makeup and she really didn't need to. When she was finished, Alex then got herself ready. She put her hair in a low ponytail, wrapped some strands around it, and used her wand to curl the rest of her hair. She then applied some makeup and got into her dress. Finally, it was time for them to head down and Alex took one final look in the mirror. She was taken aback by how grown up she looked. She grinned at her reflection and followed her friends to the Great Hall.

It was packed with students, all either talking eagerly with their dates or looking over the heads to find their dates. Alex froze at the top of the stairs for a moment before Hermione looked back for her and frowned.

"You all right, Alex?" she asked with concern, "You look…frightened."

"Me, frightened?" said Alex, cringing at how her voice started squeaking. Hermione shook her head and walked back up to her best friend, taking her hand in hers.

"You look lovely, don't you worry," said Hermione as they walked down the stairs together, "Your date would be crazy not to like you and just find me if you have any problems."

"Thanks Hermione, you're a great friend. Now go run off and find that Bulgarian Prince Charming of yours," Alex said with a wink and a smirk.

Hermione rolled her eyes and hurried off to find Krum while Parvati went to find her sister. Lavender stayed with Alex until Seamus Finnegan took her away so Alex decided to get out of the crowd and stood by the stairs, waiting for her date as her patience wore thin. She was already nervous so coupling that with the fact that she couldn't find her date wasn't making her a very happy camper at the moment.

"Alex?"

She turned and saw Draco looking surprised at her. All her impatience was swept away and she grinned.

"You sound unsure," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"I…didn't even recognize you at first," he said in awe, so unlike his usual cool and collected self, "You look so…different."

"I hope you mean in a good way," said Alex as she shifted nervously. Seeing Draco acting strange was making her worried.

"Yes, I definitely do," he said and smiled, his usual self returning as he strolled over to her, "Where's you date?"

"Not here yet," said Alex and her annoyance returned, "I looked in the crowd but I can't find him. He's probably in there somewhere. Where's Parkinson? I thought she'd be sticking to you like glue."

"She's around," said Draco, vaguely waving his hand toward the crowd, "Alex, you-"

"_There_ you are!" Nick shouted, making his way over and smiling widely, "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

He handed Alex a corsage with red roses and white baby's breath. Alex put it on and thanked Nick.

"Well, we should get going," Nick said, casting an eye at Malfoy nervously.

"All right. I'll see you later, Draco," said Alex, taking Nick's arm.

"Don't forget, Alex," Draco said, though he was looking at Nick, "Save me a dance."

Nick led her away toward the door, his face unreadable. "What was that all about?" he asked.

"I promised Draco to save a dance for him," Alex said, "I mean, he's my friend and you're my friend. I should be able to dance with you both."

"I know but I was the one who asked you, not him," Nick said coolly. Alex didn't like his tone and was about to call him on it when the doors opened and everyone made their way in.

Alex found Ron and Padma and went over to them, still on Nick's arm. They sat at a table and soon Lavender and Seamus came with Ginny and Neville.

"I didn't know you were coming," said Alex to Ginny with a smile, "That's great!"

"Well, he asked me and I wasn't going to be able to go anyway, so I said yes," said Ginny and smiled at Neville as she continued, "Plus, he's been practicing his dance moves for the past three weeks. I'm excited to have a partner who can actually dance." Neville blushed slightly while Alex chuckled and gave him a good-natured wink.

Ron was moody because his dress robes looked like they came out of the sixteen hundreds. Alex guessed he hadn't noticed Hermione yet because he was too worried about the lace on his sleeves and how he smelled like his Great Aunt Tessie.

"Come here, Ron," said Alex, drawing her wand. She tapped the lace and it vanished, leaving a nice hem, "I can't do much with the color but…" She tapped her wand again and it turned more crimson than maroon.

"You're a lifesaver, Alex," said Ron relieved, "I don't know what I would've done without you." Padma also gave her a look of relief while Nick just glared at her. Giving him a confused stare, Alex turned to her plate and saw a menu. She took it and looked it over.

"Hmm…the roast beef sounds good," she said out loud, "What do you all like?"

"I'm a vegetarian," Nick said. There was an awkward silence and Alex nodded politely. "So I would prefer if no one ordered meat."

Alex gave him a raised eyebrow look. Was he trying to tell them what to eat? Alex began to wonder if this was a bad idea but shrugged it off. Once the dancing started, it would get better…right? At least she wouldn't have to talk to him.

"Good evening, everyone!" Dumbledore said merrily and the Hall fell silent, "I know everyone must be hungry, so just tell your plate what you want for dinner and it will appear. Enjoy the festivities!"

"Roast beef, please," said Alex and it appeared. Nick eyed the meat with disgust, but Alex didn't care as she tucked in to her food.

To her amusement, she noticed that everyone else, besides Nick who got a salad, either ordered the roast beef or chicken. Finally, the plates cleared and desserts were served. Alex had only taken a few small truffles when Nick said something that only she could hear.

"I think you've had quite enough of those," he said quietly, "And I wish you wouldn't try to make me look like an idiot, seeing as I don't know anyone here and you know them all."

"Oh, I'm _so_ sorry," said Alex with angry sarcasm, "I didn't-"

But she was cut off when Professor McGonagall rose to her feet. The plates were cleared once more and the tables disappeared. Everyone stood up as their chairs went to the far walls of the Great Hall. A stage appeared and the lights dimmed a little.

"It's now time for the champions to go out onto the dance floor to start the Yule Ball," said Professor McGonagall.

Alex saw Harry with Parvati and Hermione with Krum. Hermione looked like she was on cloud nine as people whispered and pointed at her.

"Who's that with Krum?" Ginny asked curiously, "She looks familiar."

"She should," said Alex happily, "That's Hermione. I do good work, don't I?"

"What?" said Ron, overhearing Alex, "She went with Krum?"

"Yep, she told you she was going with someone," said Alex. Ron tried to speak, only managing to open and close his mouth so Alex said, "So Ron, do you think she's a girl _now_?" Ron continued to look like a fish out of water and Alex smirked triumphantly.

"You did a great job, Alex," said Harry, trying not to laugh at Ron's expression, "Hermione looks very pretty tonight. I wonder if Krum will let me have one dance…just as friends of course," he added with a smirk, seeing Ron's look of horror.

"I'm sure he will," Alex said, "Ron, you could do that if you wanted to as well."

Ron didn't answer but continued to stare at the couple. After the champions danced for a minute, Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall walked out onto the floor and soon many others did. Nick held out his hand and Alex took it, though grudgingly. She was still angry with him about his comments.

She quickly deduced he was a horrible dancer, but he thought he was the best out there. He was too busy making fun of other people's footwork to realize he was walking all over Alex's feet. After two songs, Alex excused herself to get a drink and limped over to the punch bowl. She saw Hermione and Krum talking and headed toward them.

"Hi guys!" she said as cheerfully as she could muster, "Enjoying yourselves?"

"Yes," said Hermione, "Where's your date?"

"Oh, I actually lost him," Alex said not too sadly, "I went to get a drink and he's gone."

"Is that not him vere?" Krum asked, pointing behind Alex.

Alex looked and sure enough it was. He was looking over the heads for her and she quickly turned around so he wouldn't see her face.

"Yes it is," she said, hating how fake her voice sounded, "Thank you so much."

"Viktor, could you excuse Alex and me for a moment?" Hermione asked and he nodded. Once he was gone, Hermione turned to Alex. "What's wrong? I thought Nick was a nice guy."

"I don't know," said Alex, sighing, "There's something about his tone that I don't like. Plus he practically walked all over my feet while we danced."

"I'm sure he's nervous, just like how you were before in the Entrance Hall," Hermione said with a smile, "You can't avoid him _all_ night; he did ask you here after all."

"Yeah, I know," Alex said heavily. There was silence before Alex asked, "Where are Ron and Harry?"

"Sitting over there," said Hermione, pointing toward the wall, "Do you think they recognize me?"

"Well, Ron didn't until I mentioned to Ginny who Krum's date was. He seemed so surprised, it was priceless!" said Alex with a laugh, feeling slightly better, "Come on, let's go see them."

They walked over to the boys, both too busy watching the dancers to notice them. Alex sat down next to Harry and he didn't even move. She followed his eyes and saw Cho dancing with Cedric.

"If it makes a difference," Alex whispered, causing Harry to jump, "I think you'd be a better date for her. At least you're funny."

"Thanks," said Harry, "You look great by the way."

"Thank you. How's Ron doing?"

"He hasn't danced once," said Harry in a low voice, "Keeps staring into the crowd, his face getting stony when he sees _them_."

Alex nodded. She knew exactly who "them" were. Hermione nervously approached Ron and sat next to him.

"Where's your date?" Ron asked coldly.

"I think he's getting drinks," said Hermione, "You both are welcome to join us."

"I'd rather not."

"Is there a problem? You seem a little angry with me, and I have no idea why," Hermione said testily.

"Yeah, there's a problem and you know exactly what it is," Ron said, his voice rising just a little, "Krum's the Drumstrang champion! He's competing against Harry for Merlin's sake! You're from Hogwarts, yet you're getting cozy with the enemy!"

"Getting cozy with the enemy?" said Hermione, outraged, "How dare you say that when you were all excited and wanted his stupid autograph! This competition is to bring three different schools together, to get to know other people."

"I think he wants to do more than get to know you, Hermione," said Ron, "He's seventeen, the only thing he sees when he looks at you is-"

"Enough Ron!" snapped Hermione, standing up and shaking with anger, "You know what I think? I think you're jealous because it took you four years to see I was a girl and it took Krum a matter of seconds!"

"Jealous? I'm not jealous at all!" said Ron, standing up too.

"And there's an easy way for all this to never happen again! Next time there's a ball, pluck up your Gryffindor courage and ask me for Merlin's sake!"

Hermione spun on her heel and stormed off. Ron sat down fuming and Harry turned to Alex.

"Wow," he said, "This is awkward."

"There you are, Alex." It was Nick. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

He held out his hand and Alex took it, sending Harry a "Save me!" look. To Alex's great relief, Harry understood.

"Now wait a moment," he said, standing up and cutting Nick off, "I don't think we've met before. I'm Harry, Alex's friend. Who are you?"

"I'm Nick. Alex and I are in Arithmancy class together."

"That's nice," Harry said, taking Nick's arm and dragging him over to Ron and the others, "Now, do you play Quidditch?"

Alex made a mental note to thank Harry many times for the favor. She slipped into the crowd and went to get some fresh air. As she walked down the garden paths, she saw a few couples sitting on the benches, staring at the stars.

"Alex, Alex, Alex," she spun around and saw Nick coming toward her, "I can't shake the feeling you're trying to get rid of me."

He stopped, staring past her and Alex saw his face contort into an ugly position. He took three long strides over to a bench where two people were sitting, a boy with blonde hair and hazel eyes and a girl who looked a lot like Nick.

"Vanessa," Nick said and the girl jumped, looking terrified, "I thought I told you to stay in the common room."

"N-Nick," Vanessa said, almost to the point of tears, "Please, let me explain."

"And who are you?" Nick spat, turning to the boy.

"Look man," the boy said, standing up, "I invited her to come so if you want to get mad, get mad at me all right?"

"Get out of my sight."

"Just go, Tommy," Vanessa whispered, "It's better if you just leave."

The boy called Tommy looked at Nick to Vanessa and left, although it was obviously against his better judgment. Nick then turned to the girl, seeming to forget Alex was right there.

"Why do you never listen, sister?" Nick asked, taking a step toward her, "I'm only looking out for you."

"I'm tired of you telling me what to do, Nick," Vanessa said, standing up. She only came up to her brother's chest but she drew herself up and set her face, "I want to live my own life, not have you running it for me. Ever since Dad died, you've tried to tell me how to live my life and I'm sick and tired of-"

Nick did the unthinkable. He raised his hand and struck his sister across the face. But the horror of it was, he was smiling and laughing as Vanessa fell onto the bench, holding her face.

"You're so funny when you try to stand up to me, but it never works!" he said, laughing. He eventually stopped and continued in a serious voice, "Now go back to your common room and if I see you here again, you'll be sorry."

Vanessa picked herself up and walked off. Alex and Vanessa's eyes met and Alex saw the years of pain in them. They seemed to give a warning that said, "Stay away, run while you still can." Alex stared as Nick sighed and put a hand to his head.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Alex," he said forlornly, "I really love Vanessa and she just doesn't understand. I'm just trying to be a good man of the house after…after my father died."

He walked over to her and held her shoulders hard. Alex tried to wrestle away but he held her fast.

"Do you understand, Alex? That's the only way I can control her. She won't listen to me otherwise. She's become so much more free-spirited since our father's death."

"There are other ways that would be less painful," said Alex venomously.

"I've tried," Nick said, tears forming in his eyes, "But it just doesn't work. Maybe…maybe you could help me get better at it. Maybe that's why we met each other, you were meant to help me." He let her go and sat on the bench, shoulders shaking. Her mind seemed numb with shock and horror. Unable to think of anything else, Alex sat down and patted his back.

Nick wiped his eyes and smiled. He stood up and held out his hand. Alex took it and he led her back inside, Alex feeling like a robot. He went onto the dance floor and she had to deal with the torture of her feet being trod upon for three songs, but she didn't notice. Her mind was somewhere else as she tried to piece together what she had just witnessed. Someone tapped Alex's shoulder, pulling her out of her musings, and she turned to see Draco.

"Do you mind if I steal her for a song or two?" he asked Nick.

Nick let Alex go and stormed off. Alex let out a sigh of relief and smiled.

"Thank you so much," she said as Draco put a hand on her waist and the other in her own hand. Already, it seemed as if everything from before was just a terrible nightmare. Alex could feel herself returning to normal as she continued, "My feet are bloody stumps from being stepped on."

"How do you know if I'm any better?" Draco asked with a playful smirk.

"Well, I'm praying you are because if not, I'll be very disappointed."

The music picked up and they began to dance. Thankfully, Draco was a great dancer. He never stepped on Alex's feet and didn't mind twirling her around a little and laughing while Nick had been very serious in his dancing. Almost too soon, the song ended and the crowd applauded. The lead singer, a witch, spoke into the microphone.

"Thank you Hogwarts for having us!" she said and the crowd cheered, "It's almost time to leave but before we do, we've had some undercover judges walking around and watching you all dance. We have found our winners and the judges are coming now to find you. We're taking a short break while that happens but we ask you all to stay where you are. Thanks!"

"So your date isn't all you hoped for?" Draco asked as they waited for the winners to be found.

"No," said Alex, barely repressing a shudder and wondering if she should tell him what she witnessed, "Not at all. He seemed nice, but I've seen another side to him. How's Parkinson?"

"Annoying, as always," he said with a shrug, "Can't dance worth a damn and she always tries to play with my hair." Draco looked at Alex for a moment and cocked his head to the side. "Hey, are you all right?" he asked worriedly.

"Why do you ask?"

"I dunno," he said, seeming confused himself, "I just…You seemed a bit off while we were dancing. I mean, you were happy and all and that's great, but I just have the feeling that not everything is as happy as you'd have it appear."

Alex bit her lip and looked at her feet for a moment. It seemed she couldn't hide anything from Draco. Finally, she looked up and opened her mouth to tell Draco everything when someone again tapped her on the shoulder.

"Excuse me," a little man said, "Congratulations, you are the winners of the dance competition."

"Oh," said Alex, taken aback, "You know, we didn't come together."

"It does not matter," the man said, "You two danced and were the best. You each get a trophy."

He handed each of them a golden trophy with two people dancing on top. The man went back into the crowd and the music picked up again, a slower song. Alex put her hands around Draco's neck and he put his on her waist as they rocked back and forth to the music.

"That's pretty funny," said Draco, "We won the competition without knowing it."

"Yeah," said Alex, "You know, you should come to the dance studio this summer and we can show off our trophies."

"If I can get away, I'd like that," Draco said with a smile.

Alex grinned as they danced a little more. She looked at Draco and still saw the concern written clearly in his eyes. Taking a deep breath, she started talking.

"Listen, about before, I really was having a fun time dancing. I guess I was just a bit…preoccupied with my thoughts."

"What were you thinking about?" he whispered.

"I…well, it's just that Nick—"

Suddenly, someone grabbed Alex's shoulder and pulled her back. Draco's one arm was pulled away from her but the other quickly went around her waist, almost protectively. Alex looked to see Pansy Parkinson glaring lividly at her.

"He's _my _date Ratcliff!" she said angrily, "Go get your own!"

"Terribly sorry," said Alex sarcastically, taking a step away and Draco's arm fell to his side. Alex returned her voice to normal and said to Draco, "Thanks for being my partner."

"No, thank you."

Nick suddenly appeared at her side and she was forced to dance with him. She saw Parkinson and Draco move into the crowd and they vanished. The happiness she had before started slipping away and was replaced by the numb musing she had before Draco asked to dance with her.

"I have something to show you," Nick whispered and led her out of the Great Hall and toward a corridor. She didn't put up a fight but blindly followed him without a word. The music started getting fainter and fainter as they walked. Something inside Alex was telling her that this wasn't a good idea. After a minute of walking, Alex slipped her hand out of his and stopped. She was finally coming to her senses, recovering from her earlier shock and confusion.

"Nick, let's head back. The dance is almost over and I want to see my friends."

"You mean like Malfoy? You seemed to be pretty "friendly" with him."

"He and I are very good friends," snapped Alex, "And I would appreciate it if you would stop talking about any of my friends like that."

"Oh Alex," said Nick with a smile, but not one Alex liked much, "You're still living in this fantasy world where everyone just wants to be friends." He walked over to her and held her arms tightly, "Can we be more than friends?"

"Let me go, Nick," said Alex as calmly as she could, "Let…me…go!"

"No, I don't think I want to," he said. He pulled her arms hard and practically dragged her down the corridor. Alex fought with all her might but he was too strong. They stopped at a door and Nick was about to open it when footsteps came pounding down the corridor and someone tackled Nick to the ground, wrenching Alex free. She backed away quickly and saw the two people wrestling each other. Finally, the boy punched Nick in the head and he was knocked unconscious. The boy stood up shakily and turned to Alex. It was Draco.

"Holy Merlin!" said Alex, running to him, "Draco, what are you doing here?"

"I was coming from the bathroom and I heard you and him talking," he said, gesturing to Nick and wiping some blood from his lip, "I just turned the corner and I saw him dragging you down here. I followed and I had a feeling of what he was going to do."

Draco walked to the door and opened it. It was a broom closet. Alex stared at the closet, from the unconscious Nick, to Draco. It was all too much for her. She sat against the wall and held her legs to her chest, silent tears streaming down her face. Draco sat down next to her as she cried.

"I…I saw him hit his sister," she whispered, "Didn't even hesitate and it sounded like he did it often. I can't even imagine what he would have done to me if I tried to get out." She looked at Draco, her best friend even though they were from different Houses.

"I told you I'd never let anything happen to you, remember?" he asked and Alex nodded. He put his arm around her and they sat there until Alex was ready to go back.

"What should we do with him?" she asked, wiping her eyes and kicking Nick none too gently in the ribs, "We can't just leave him here."

Draco picked Nick up and dragged him into the closet. He came out and shut the door. The two friends went back to the Entrance Hall and found everyone standing around. The dance must have just ended. Alex gave Draco a hug and went off to find her friends. The crowd had almost thinned out and Alex was just thinking of going back upstairs when she found Hermione sitting on the steps with Parvati, Padma, and Lavender. Hermione had her head in her hands and her shoulders were shaking.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" Alex asked gently, sitting down with the other girls.

"Ron," whispered Lavender as Hermione didn't answer but kept crying, "He ignored her and Krum the entire night, giving them dirty looks and such. And he just yelled at her for dancing with other boys besides her date, implying that she was being a flirt."

"Oh Hermione," said Alex soothingly, "Please don't cry over stupid stuff like that. Save your tears for important things. Ron only did that because he's jealous and doesn't want to say it."

The girls went back to the common room, Padma to the Ravenclaw one, and fell straight to sleep. Even Alex, with all that happened, went to bed in an instant.

_Author's Note: Wow, this is quite a long chapter for me! Hopefully it makes up for the extremely long wait I put you guys through. I had my boyfriend's prom and graduation the first week of June, then I went on a retreat the following week, and this past week I was on my version of senior week. Basically, I went on vacation with my family and spent the time on a beach getting tan and staying completely sober. Senior week isn't really my scene so I was happy. If you're a senior and went on senior week, I hope you had a really fun time. If you're going on senior week soon, have fun and stay safe!_

_Now since I've been so busy, I didn't get to send everyone a PM so here are my review responses:_

Aileen Autarkeia:_ Haha, don't worry! That's cool that you're homeschooled, a couple of my friends were homeschooled before they came to my high school. Yes, Hermione has good reason not to trust Draco after the way he's treated her these last three years. Little Button missed you very much and was very happy to see you. :D Thanks for your reviews!_

MegartXD:_ Yay! I'm so glad that you're enjoying the series so far! Sorry you had to wait so long for this update but please let me know what you thought. Thanks for your review!_

Are you calling me crazy:_ I'm dying to know what you thought of my Yule Ball scene! Please let me know! Also, to answer your question, I did change that from the original books and movies in my series. It's a little detail in the first book during the Sorting, but I did want it to be different in my stories than from J.K Rowling's because of later events and such. Finally, on a different note, I thought of you while I was on vacation this last week! I saw a T-shirt that had a dog on a skateboard and underneath it said, "That's the way I roll". I started laughing and wanted to buy it, but they didn't have my size. Anyway, thanks for your review!_

_To all my other reviewers, those who put me on alert, and those who put me in their favorites, thank you so very much! You all are amazing and I love seeing my email full of notifications of reviews, alerts, and favorites. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter and I promise that the review button, aka Little Button, won't hurt you. :D_


	19. Chapter 17 Surprises Aren't Always Good

_Author's Note: I know, I know! This is the part where I say that I own nothing except Alex and the changes in plot that her presence creates and then I go and cry myself to sleep. Ya happy?_

Chapter 17 Surprises Aren't Always Good

Alex woke up the next day and realized it was Christmas morning. Rubbing her eyes, scenes from last night flitted across her mind and she shuddered. It was Christmas for Merlin's sake; her mind should be full of happiness and not about how horrible her date had been. Leaping out of bed, Alex quickly awoke the others as Maggie screamed curses because she had gotten back later than the others. The girls ignored her as they brought their gifts into the common room so as not to disturb Maggie's "beauty rest".

"Trust me, she needs a lot more rest than she's getting now to make a difference," said Alex as they set up their gifts, the other girls sniggering.

From Hermione, Alex got a book of useful advanced level potions. She thanked Hermione over and over because, "The one's Snape gives us are hard, but not in any way useful.".

Ron gave Alex a pack of Droobuls Best Bubble Gum and a Quick-Quotes Quill to use "during History of Magic. It takes notes for you so you can sleep!" which made Alex very happy. Hermione glared at the gift with such distaste that Alex quickly set it aside and picked up the next package.

Harry gave her a pocket model of a Firebolt that actually flew. He also wrote a card with tips to deal with people staring and whispering about you, some of which were quite amusing and had her laughing for some time.

Hagrid gave Alex a Swiss Army knife, though he told her in the letter he didn't know who that was but that he heard they were a good make. She smiled as she and Hermione talked about it animatedly while the other girls kept wanting to know why a girl would want one of those.

Erin gave Alex two Hershey bars and a pair of lightning bolt earrings saying, "It'll match your scar!". Alex quickly put them in, much to the amusement of her friends.

Uncle Monty sent her pictures of their house during a terrible snow storm they had a few weeks ago. The picture had Uncle Monty standing by the front door with snow up to his waist. He also gave her stationary and fancy quills with different color inks with the note, "Now you don't have an excuse to not write often." Alex smiled sheepishly as she looked over the gift. She felt bad that she hadn't written to her guardian as often as she knew he wanted and vowed to make it up to him.

Alex saved the last three for last. She undid the wrapping of Draco's gift and saw a black box. She opened it and gasped. It was a beautiful stainless steel watch with a mother of pearl face and crystals were the numbers should have been. Alex had an old digital watch that was on the verge of falling off because she wore it so much. Alex quickly put her new watch on and smiled as it glimmered in the firelight.

She then picked up the second gift and saw there was a card. The handwriting was unfamiliar as she read the note to herself.

_Roses are red, violets are blue, I hope your Christmas is as wonderful as you. Merry Christmas Alex!_

_Lovingly yours forever,_

_Your secret admirer_

Alex read the letter a few times and smiled, rolling her eyes. Her father must have sent this as a joke. She opened the present and saw a beautiful silver charm bracelet. All the charms were either a heart with a keyhole or a key. There was another note inside and Alex read this one too.

_For the one who has the key to my heart, I hope to one day have yours._

"Who's that from, Alex?" Hermione asked as Alex attempted to put the bracelet on by herself.

"I'm…I'm not sure," said Alex finally getting the clasp on.

Lavender took the card and read it. She burst into a fit of giggles and handed it to Parvati. Parvati started giggling too and Hermione snatched the letter from them. She read it as well and smiled at Alex.

"That's so sweet!" Hermione said, "Any idea who he could be?"

"That's just it," said Alex, "It could be any of those guys who were stalking me before the Yule Ball."

"I don't think they were this poetic, or this romantic," said Parvati dreamily.

Alex shrugged and finally opened the last gift. It was from her father. She opened a small box and there was a key inside. She took the key out and looked it over.

Suddenly, footsteps came down the stairs and Harry appeared holding a key similar to Alex's.

"You got one too?" he asked, "Come on, my letter said we need to see Hagrid."

Alex quickly threw on a pair of sweatpants and a sweater (her new annual Weasley sweater to be exact), and followed Harry out into the snow. Ron and Hermione went with them, though they were still not speaking to each other. Alex knocked on Hagrid's door and he opened it. His eyes were puffy and he looked like he hadn't slept at all. But when he saw the four Gryffindors, he smiled and came outside.

"Right now," he said joyfully, "Alex an' Harry are ta cover their eyes, no peekin' now."

Alex and Harry tightly shut their eyes and allowed Hagrid to lead them to an unknown location. They had only taken a few steps when they stopped.

"Open."

Alex opened her eyes and let out a shout of delight. There were two motorcycles leaning against the side of the shed. They were identical in every way, both were jet-black with the same handlebars and engine. Slowly, Alex walked over to one and touched the seat. She pulled out her key, put it in the ignition, and turned it on. The engine roared to life and Alex grinned.

"Dad," she whispered as she put one leg over the motorcycle, "You've really outdone yourself." She looked the bike over and felt a pang in her chest. Alex knew she would have to write to her father later and tell him everything. She couldn't even imagine how angry he'd be and she really didn't want to hear an "I told you so". She felt bad enough as it was.

"Oh, almost forgot," said Hagrid, ripping Alex from her thoughts as he ran back inside. While he was in his hut, Alex turned to Harry.

"Hagrid doesn't look so good," she said over the engines, "Is he okay?"

"Madame Maxime got all offended when he said she was part giant," said Harry.

"But, how could she not be?" said Hermione with a laugh, "She's as tall as some of the trees in the forest!"

"Did you know Hagrid's part giant too?" said Ron.

"Well of course he had to have some giant blood in him, Ron," Hermione snapped, "I mean, he's twice the size of a normal man for Merlin's sake!"

Just then, Hagrid appeared with two helmets and he handed them to Alex and Harry.

"Sirius told me to tell yeh that yeh have ta wear them while yer flyin'," Hagrid said, "Plus, it'll make yeh look mysterious."

Alex laughed and put the helmet on. Hagrid showed Alex how to work the accelerator and break so soon, she was flying around the castle. It was beautiful to see Hogwarts during winter from outside a window, but from the air it was breathtaking. She looked over and saw Harry pulling up next to her. She gave him a wave and took off as fast as the bike could go, Harry laughing and following her. Finally, she landed the motorcycle and pulled her helmet off, grinning ear to ear.

"Who's next?" she asked.

Alex took Hermione while Harry took Ron. Hermione was petrified the entire time, muttering to herself, "Don't look down…Merlin don't let me fall!" until they were safely on the ground. Afterwards, they had tea with Hagrid and went back to the castle. They never mentioned knowing about Madame Maxime and him being part giants, not wanting to either offend Hagrid or explain how they found out. Harry told Alex later that he and Ron had been walking through the gardens and had "accidentally" overheard their conversation while hiding in the bushes.

When they reached their common room, Alex told the others she wanted to write to her father and that she would join them in a little bit. Hermione looked at her sympathetically and Alex managed a small half smile as she climbed up to her dormitory. Once she was settled in her bed with her new stationary and quills, Alex thought for a moment before she started writing.

_Dear Orion,_

_Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoyed the food parcel I sent you as well as the pictures I drew of Hogwarts. Did you like the one of the Whomping Willow? I thought you'd find that one particularly interesting, what with your history with it and all. Thank you so much for the motorcycle! I took it out for a ride this morning with Hermione and it was absolutely amazing! Well, I don't think Hermione thought it was. All of my gifts this year were lovely, especially this stationary and quill I'm using now. Uncle Monty got it for me, can you tell he wants me to write more often?_

_Now I know you're anxious for me to tell you about last night._

Alex paused and tickled her chin with the feather quill. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she thought of what to say. There really was no way of sugar-coating what happened, although she had already decided not to mention that Draco helped her. Her father would never approve of her friendship with Draco, not even if Draco saved her life a thousand times. Finally, she took a deep breath and continued her letter.

_I managed to have a fun time with my friends. Hermione looked beautiful, thanks to the beauty book you sent me, and both Harry and Ron looked like strapping young men. There was a bit of drama with Ron and Hermione though, so I don't think they had as much fun as they could have. I don't really know what happened with them because I was dealing with my own drama._

_You were right, Dad. Nick was a complete bastard, and I hope you will pardon my French but that is the only word I can use to describe him. He was rude to my friends, very controlling and jealous, and I learned that there is a very dark side of him that he never showed me before. He has a sister that he hits around in order to keep her "in line" and I saw him hit her right in front of me. I know I should have done something, but I was too shocked to even think straight. Everything I had thought was turned on its side and I was so confused that I barely noticed that we went back to the dance. I think he knew I wasn't myself and he took advantage of that._

_He led me away from the Great Hall down a hallway. Before we got too far, I came to my senses and told him I wanted to go back. He laughed and became more forceful as he tried to drag me into a closet. I fought and managed to knock him out. By the time I got back, the dance was over and I went to bed._

_Now I want to assure you that __nothing__ happened. He didn't hurt me and there aren't even bruises from where he grabbed me. I am completely fine and unharmed, honestly. Mentally and emotionally I'm fine as well. I only have Arithmancy with the guy and I am confident I can handle myself. I won't go looking for trouble and will always have a friend around, just in case. Please don't worry, I'm perfectly fine._

_Give Buckbeak my Christmas wishes and I am sure you will want me to do the same with my friends. I love you very much and have a Merry Christmas!_

_With lots of love and holiday wishes,_

_Alex_

She reread the letter many times before sighing and putting it in an envelope. Rising to her feet, Alex opened her window and mentally called out to her owl. Monty swooped onto her shoulder and nuzzled her chin.

_"Merry Christmas, Alex,"_ said the ebony owl.

_"Merry Christmas, buddy. Can you take this to Dad for me? It's rather important,"_ Alex said. Her owl nodded and left without another word. As she watched him go, Alex ran a hand through her long black hair and shook her head to clear her thoughts before she went downstairs to join her friends.

They spent the rest of the day hanging out with Fred, George, and Lee Jordan trading Chocolate Frog cards and playing Exploding Snap. Ron had brought down both boxes of his Christmas fudge, one being his mother's and the other Alex's, and the twins loved Alex's.

"I got M&M's and a chocolate pudding bean," said George triumphantly as his twin spat his back out.

"Alex," said Lee as he munched on his piece, "Where did you get this stuff? We could use it to prank Filch, sending him a box of homemade fudge only to have him find it had all the bad flavors of beans in it."

"A little shop off the main road," said Alex, hoping all this would give Mrs. Hinkins more business, "I'll show you next time we go."

Unfortunately, all their days off couldn't be spent relaxing. Alex's lessons with Snape were still set for Thursdays and the teachers had given a lot of homework. The common room was crowded because people had stayed for the holidays because of the Yule Ball.

On the last Thursday before the holidays were finished, Alex went down to the freezing dungeons. Pulling her Weasley sweater over her cold hands, she opened the door without knocking, which she always did because Snape never said to knock. However, today he had company, Igor Karkaroff. The Durmstrang Headmaster was showing Snape something on his arm that Alex only got a glimpse of before he pulled his sleeve over it swiftly. It was some type of black tattoo, but Alex couldn't tell of what.

"Sorry," said Alex quickly, "I'll just wait out-"

"No need," said Karkaroff, "I'm leaving. Good evening Snape."

He left the room swiftly and shut the door behind him with a loud banging noise. Snape rounded on Alex, his eyes angry.

"Why didn't you knock before you entered?" he snapped, "What did you see?"

"I never knock when I come to your lessons," said Alex defensively, "And I didn't see anything at all, I swear."

"Very well," he snarled, "Your lessons are cancelled for today but Mr. Malfoy is waiting to work on a new potion with you." He paused and looked at Alex intently, a strange glow in his eyes, "I haven't said anything, but I noticed your, shall we say, "close friendship" with Mr. Malfoy. I would like to warn you to discontinue it now while it is still young. He may not have told you, but I know his family would not approve of the behavior of their son."

"Is there anything wrong with being friends, Professor?" Alex asked icily.

"There is when your Houses are at such odds with each other," said Snape, "I also know for a fact your father would not approve of the friendship either."

"Well, thanks for the advice," said Alex as she reached the door, "I will be sure to take everything in to consideration."

He knew, and she knew that he knew, that what he said had no affect on her at all. She left the office and went to the classroom to find Draco waiting for her. She pulled out her Christmas gift from Hermione and showed it to him, grinning widely.

"This is really nice," he said with mild interest as he skimmed the pages, "How about we try to make Skel-O-Grow?"

"Sure, Harry had to use that when Lockhart removed all the bones in his arm. Lockhart really screwed things up, didn't he?" said Alex, laughing at the memory of their worst Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to date. Draco merely nodded and went to grab the ingredients, leaving Alex looking confused.

They began working on the potion, though it was much quieter and more serious than Alex liked. She began to wonder if Snape talked to Draco about them being friends. Had his parents threatened to take him out of school if he kept talking to her? She wouldn't have been surprised. The Malfoy's were extreme when it came to people's backgrounds. Finally, they finished all they could do and they cleaned up in silence. As Draco reached across to grab a vial, Alex noticed he was wearing the watch she gave him for Christmas. She smiled and casually rolled up her sleeves to reveal her watch too.

"I like your watch," she said with a smile, "Where did you get it?"

"Pansy gave it to me actually," he said, looking down at it, "It's all real gold."

"Oh," said Alex quietly, stung by his words. She felt like her stomach had been ripped out. Of course he'd wear the real thing; he was used to that sort of stuff. He probably didn't even look at her gold-plated and went straight for the 14 or 18 karat gold watch. "It looks nice. I'll see you tomorrow then? It says to add the next set of ingredients in twenty-four hours."

"Actually, I can't be here tomorrow," said Draco, "I promised Pansy I'd spend the day with her. Can you do it?"

"Sure," said Alex with a sigh and sarcastically muttered under her breath, "I'd _love _to, Draco! Because I've got nothing better to do than sit down here alone with all the homework I have."

"What was that?"

"Nothing," said Alex innocently, as she raised her hand in good-bye, "Nothing at all."

"Wait a minute," he said and Alex stopped, "Is that the watch I gave you for Christmas?"

"Yeah," said Alex. She wanted to say something nasty about it, just to get back at him, but found no words. It was the perfect gift.

"It looks nice," he said and left. That was it, no good-bye, no "see you soon!", nothing.

Alex went back to the common room in a very sad mood. She should have known this wouldn't have lasted, that he would eventually realize how hard it would be to keep a friendship with her and still be cool in the eyes of his Slytherin cronies. Why did it bother her so much? He was just some Slytherin anyway.

_Because he's not "just some Slytherin",_ she thought forlornly as she walked up the stairs, _He acts like a jerk to keep his father and so-called friends happy. But deep down, beneath all that swagger and arrogance, he's a really good person. I saw it when we were together without anyone watching or judging us. It's upsetting to see him go back to his old ways._

Finally, she reached the common room and automatically said the password, not noticing when the Fat Lady asked if the dress she was wearing worked with her skin tone. Alex found her bag, pulled out her mother's diary and curled up in a chair, her mind too wild for her to do anything else. However, she found she couldn't even read but just stare into the leaping flames of the fire and allow her mind to wander. Her emotions ranged from extreme anger to extreme sadness.

"ALEX!" her three friends shouted together.

"What?" Alex asked, snapping out of her thoughts and brought back to the hard reality.

"We've been trying to talk to you since you came in," said Ron. He and Hermione seemed to have made up because they were sitting next to each other and neither of them was physically harmed.

"Oh, sorry guys," said Alex, "What's up?"

"I think we should be asking the same thing to you," said Harry, "You've been in a daze since you've arrived."

"What happened down there?" Hermione asked concernedly, "Did Snape do anything to you?"

"No, not Snape for once," said Alex bitterly, "But you were right Hermione, some people just never change."

She got up, took her bag, and left the common room. The boys looked at Hermione, who looked as though a light bulb had just come on.

"Oh dear," was all she could say, leaving the boys more confused than ever.

_Author's Note: Uh oh, what's up with Draco? A little tension between the two of them, very interesting indeed… ;) _

_I wanted to give you all a head's up about the next couple of days. This story has 25 chapters in total and I am leaving for a week this Friday. Obviously I won't be able to post the entire story by Friday because even though it's completed, I'd rather spread out the chapters so you all aren't overwhelmed with stuff. Although, I'm sure some of you wouldn't mind reading the rest of the book now. Hehe! So here's what I'm going to do: I'm posting one chapter today and __**two**__ tomorrow. Hooray! If I get a chance, I'll try to post on Friday but don't get your hopes up. When I get back from my trip, I promise to post whatever the next chapter is as soon as I can. Hopefully you all won't be too angry with me for leaving you all for so long without an update. But look on the bright side, at least it's not three weeks like before! :P_

_There's only one reviewer that I couldn't reply to, so here's my response!_

Are you calling me crazy?:_ First of all…OMG, you went to Harry Potter World! How was it? What was your favorite thing there (if you can narrow it down at all)? I personally loved the castle ride and the dueling dragons ride, but all of it was just incredible. I never got to try the Butterbeer because the line was, like…over an hour, but I'm glad you liked it! Thank you so much for your review and I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter! Hopefully you enjoyed this one too. :D_

_Thank you to my amazing fans out there. All of you are just incredible and you're support means the world to me. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter! :D_


	20. Chapter 18 PhysicalandEmotional Injuries

_Author's Note: I own nothing! Warning, Alex uses a lot of language in this chapter so ye be warned._

Chapter 18 Physical and Emotional Injuries

Alex didn't come back for some time. She had to use her invisibility necklace so as not to get caught after curfew. Her friends were waiting up for her with curious expressions on their faces. Alex, however, didn't want to talk about anything that happened in the Potion's room.

"Harry," she said as she entered, "Have you figured out the clue yet?"

"No," said Harry embarrassedly, "Not yet, but I will."

Alex nodded and went straight to bed, not wanting to give her friends a chance to ask questions.

The next day was spent in the library working on homework. Eventually they managed to get it done, thanks to Alex and Hermione's help. Alex suggested they go for a walk around the snowy grounds.

They had arrived in the common room to get their warm clothes and Alex saw Maggie sniggering as she read a copy of the _Daily Prophet_. The girl looked up as they entered and sneered.

"Hey Ratty!" Maggie shouted. It seemed she finally came up with a nickname for her, "Have you read this morning's _Prophet_? Your large friend is in it!"

Alex ripped the paper out of Maggie's hands and scanned the page, Maggie watching her with an evilly gleeful expression. Rita Skeeter had written an article about Hagrid being half-giant! What was worse, Mr. Malfoy had given a blurb about when Hagrid's hippogriff, Buckbeak had, "almost ripped my poor son's arm off". There was also a statement from, big surprise, Maggie saying, "I guess I know why it was so hard to understand him, he was trying to talk to us in his native language by grunting and pointing at things." The article concluded saying that Dumbledore was mad to give someone so reckless and dangerous teaching students.

"Well?" said Maggie, "I guess you didn't know your buddy was so vicious, huh?"

"Can it already!" shouted Alex and tried to launch herself on her enemy but a struggling Harry and Ron managed to hold her back. As Maggie ran off laughing Alex shouted, "Troll's point and grunt at things you moron! If you can't even tell the difference then just shut your ungodly, lopsided mouth!"

It took Alex ten minutes to calm down enough for her to be released. She kept threatening to track Maggie down and jinx her into oblivion. When the boys finally released her, Alex was determined more than ever to go and see Hagrid. Quickly they bundled up and went out. They reached Hagrid's door and Ron knocked…no answer. Harry knocked with Ron…still nothing. Finally Alex moved up and began banging on the door, the boys stepping aside so as not to get in her way.

"Hagrid! It's Alex, Harry, Ron, and Hermione…Open up! Please Hagrid, we want to see you! We don't care if you're full, part, or not even close to being a giant! Come on Hagrid…If you don't open this door I swear I'll break it down! You know the full extent of my temper and you _really_ don't wanna mess with me now!"

She was just about to bang on the door again when it opened. It was Professor Dumbledore who was standing there smiling, not Hagrid. Alex felt her face grow hot as she backed away, lowering her fist that was raised to bang the door.

"Professor, I didn't know you were in there. We just-"

"I heard you well enough, Miss Ratcliff," said Dumbledore with a laugh, "In fact, I think half the castle heard you. Come in."

The four of them entered and saw Hagrid sitting at his kitchen table with a tablecloth-sized handkerchief in his hands. Alex went over to him and gave him a hug.

"Hagrid," she whispered, "No one cares about what's in your blood. Look at all the Muggle-borns and half-bloods and pure-bloods that are here and live together semi-peacefully."

"I've already gott'n a letter from the Malfoy's sayin' they would pull out their son if Dumbledore didn't sack me," said Hagrid sorrowfully, "An' I'm sure there are others thinkin' just like tha'."

"Let me rephrase what I just said," said Alex with a touch of winter in her voice, "All the people _who matter_ don't care. There were bound to be people who would say stuff like that."

"See Hagrid," said Dumbledore, "Just like I told you, your friends will treat you as they normally would. Isn't that all that matters? Now, I expect you to be teaching on Monday, and if not I will have to, as they say, "sack you". Good day, everyone!"

Dumbledore winked at them all and left. Hagrid took a gigantic, shaky sigh and seemed to cheer up a little. They ate lunch with him until Alex said she had to go back to the castle and finish adding the ingredients to the potion. They said their good-byes and headed down to the dungeons, her friends wanting to see what exactly she did down there.

"It's nothing special really," she told them as she began putting the dried up leaves into the mixture, "It's just like class only more-"

The door opened and Draco came in with Pansy hanging on his arm. Alex stared at the two of them, extremely confused.

"What are you doing here?" Pansy said as she was asking the same question.

"I'm adding the ingredients," said Alex coldly, "Just like the git asked me to so he could spend time with you, his girlfriend."

"We were walking by and I decided to see if you had done it yet," said Draco in an annoyingly superior voice that had always never failed to make Alex's blood boil, "After all, it's past twenty-four hours. The potion may be ruined because of you."

Alex was furious now. Everyone could see it in her eyes. Everything that had happened before, and now this? No one, _no one _ever told Alex that she was the reason for ruining a potion, especially when they knew how much effort she put into her work. However, she calmly stood up and turned to her friends, saying, "Could you excuse us for a minute?"

Ron, Hermione, and Harry didn't need telling twice; they knew when Alex was this angry to stay well away from the line of fire. They quickly departed and Alex turned her fiery eyes on Pansy, who got the message and left without a word. Once the door was shut, Alex kept her calm demeanor, though just barely.

"Sit," she said and he did, "All right, no one's here so tell me…what the bloody hell is your freakin' issue?"

"What do you mean?" Draco asked with a cocky smile that made Alex all the angrier.

"I mean that!" she cried, pointing at his smile, "You've gone back to being a jerk, a stupid jerk who thinks that just because his dad is so high and mighty that he can walk all over everyone around him! I thought you changed, I gave you another fucking chance for Merlin's sake, even after Hermione told me not to. But did I listen to her? No, because I really thought you were different than every other Slytherin I've met. I guess I was wrong, and you know what? I've never been so sorry to be wrong before in my life." She waited for him to say something, to deny he was being a jerk, to defend himself. She wouldn't have minded if he even tried to speak. He just sat there with his arms folded looking…bored!

"You know what? To hell this!" she snapped and took the potion and dumped in into the sink, "I am not going to sit around and let you act like you own me! The way you treated me yesterday and today is not the Draco Malfoy I know. And if this is how you're going to be from now on, I want _nothing_ to do with you. You could rot in hell and I wouldn't give a damn!"

She stormed to the door and paused, feeling all the hurt burning inside her. Not trusting herself to look at him, she said, "Snape talked to me too, you know. He said that we should end this great friendship we had just because of what our families think. I didn't even give it a second thought because…I really enjoyed the time we spent hanging out. You weren't such a pain in the ass like you usually are."

She finally looked at him and saw a change in his demeanor. He was looking at her so sorrowfully that she faltered a little.

"L-Look, if you didn't want to be friends you should have said something in the beginning. I would have preferred you being honest with me than this. Good-bye Draco."

She reached for the door handle but he was out of his chair and holding her other hand.

"You want me to be honest? Well, here it goes," he said in a rush, as though she would listen if he said it quickly, "Snape told my dad everything and my dad told me that if I didn't stop this all, he'd…he'd make sure your uncle never worked again, at the Ministry or anywhere else. He also said that he would personally make sure that your life outside of Hogwarts was anything but easy."

"But why?" she asked, "We're not hurting anyone!"

"We're hurting my father's reputation," said Malfoy with a slight edge to his tone, "Remember I told you my father doesn't want me to attract unwanted attention on him? The son of the most powerful pure-blood associating with a Gryffindor who's practically considered a Muggle in Slytherin eyes? That screams unwanted attention.

"But Alex, believe me, I like being friends with you," he said, seeming to become more desperate to make her understand with each word, "Merlin, you're the only person in this school I think who keeps me from going insane! All my life, I've lived in this little safety bubble, never knowing what's happening to people different from me. Since we've been friends, I know how Muggle-borns are treated, how horrible some Slytherins are to others. I…I don't want to go back to being ignorant of all that."

"Then don't," said Alex, a mischievous smile spreading across her face, "No one has to know we've made up, that we're back to normal. The entire dungeon probably heard me yelling at you just a few minutes ago, who's to tell them that we forgave and forgot? I'll pretend I'm refusing to have lessons with you, you just complain to Snape about how arrogant and selfish I am and he'll "force" me to come back. This way, we'll still have the lessons and no one has to know we're still friends."

"Then you forgive me," Draco asked hopefully, "For everything I said and did?"

"Yes, I do. And I'm sorry I verbally assaulted you. You know how nasty my temper can be," she said and they both smiled, "But I have to know, is that really the watch Pansy gave you?"

"No actually," said Draco, looking at the watch, "But she did give me one exactly like this one so she thinks I'm wearing hers. I don't think we need to say anything."

"That would just break her microscopic heart," said Alex sarcastically, "Let's just add the finishing touches to our plan." She waited a few seconds and finally shouted, "Listen Malfoy! Don't even try to apologize, I guess Hermione was right, you'll never stop being a slimy Slytherin who's been raised like a prince! I thought you changed, that you were different!"

"Nice," he whispered before shouting back, "Are you just going to walk out of here? I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be the courageous ones? I guess I was wrong about you too."

"At least my house isn't a breeding ground for dark wizards!" Alex shouted, trying not to laugh, "I'm leaving before your dark magic rubs off on me! Good-bye Malfoy and good riddance!"

"See you later then?" Draco asked, chuckling quietly behind a hand.

"Yeah, Snape should be forcing me back in a few days."

She looked down and realized her hand was still in his. Chuckling, Alex let go and set her face in an angry expression before storming out of the room and slamming the door behind her. She ran out of the dungeon and up to the Entrance Hall, where she stopped and saw her friends waiting anxiously.

"What happened in there?" Hermione asked nervously as Alex walked over to them, still pretending to be in a fury.

"I'm not setting foot down in that dungeon with him ever again!" snapped Alex as they went to the common room, "He really thinks he's all that and a bag of Bertie Botts beans!"

They were walking down a corridor when Cedric Diggory appeared. He walked up to Harry and asked to have a word with him. His friends watched as Harry was led away from them. When Harry came back, he seemed annoyed by something but didn't say a word until they reached the common room.

"He told me to use the Prefect's bathroom," said Harry, "Said to take the egg with me and "mull it over in the hot water", like I'm supposed to know what to do!"

"Well, it can't hurt to try," said Alex, "I mean, what do you have to lose?"

That night, Harry used the Invisibility Cloak to go to the Prefect's bathroom. Hermione, Ron, and Alex waited up for him while they did their homework. Alex was reading over Ron's final essay when Harry came back, looking wet and triumphant.

"I got it!" he said excitedly, "It needed to be underwater for us to hear anything but screeches. The clue was, "Come see us where are voices sound, we cannot sing above the ground. An hour long you have to look, to recover what we took." There's merpeople in the lake that are going to take something and I need to get it back in an hour's time."

"That's great and all," said Ron, "But I don't think you can just take a deep breath and go down there for an hour."

"We'll think about that tomorrow," said Hermione, "Right now, let's go to bed. School starts up again tomorrow, remember?"

"No, but thanks for the reminder, Hermione," said Harry dryly.

…...

With school back in session, thoughts of the vacation slowly were replaced with spells and ingredients. Alex was held back after her first Potion's lesson so Snape could tell her that he expected her to return to the lessons that Friday. He insinuated there would be trouble if she ignored him. During her Arithmancy class, Alex completely ignored Nick while Draco and Hermione made sure he never had a chance to talk to her. It felt as though she had her own personal body guards and was grateful to her two friends for that. She didn't want to have to deal with Nick anymore but didn't know how to handle the situation without putting herself at risk.

Anytime not spent working on schoolwork, the four Gryffindors were trying to figure out the hardest question of all: How do you breathe underwater for an hour without drowning? They spent hours on end searching the shelves for anything that might be of any use. As the day of the second task drew nearer and nearer, Harry was beginning to get nervous.

The day before the task was a Thursday and Alex planned to skip her lesson with Snape to help Harry scourer the library for the millionth time. The last class of the day was Defense Against the Dark Arts. As the bell rang, Moody told Alex to stay back.

"Go on to the library," Alex whispered to her friends, not knowing if Harry was allowed to have them help, "I'll meet you there."

They nodded and ran off, leaving Alex alone with Professor Moody. It was some time before he spoke.

"Still no luck with the second task, eh?"

Alex froze. She was pretty sure she wasn't allowed to help Harry with anything having to do with the tasks.

"Relax," Moody said, waving his arm, "I won't rat you out, but I will say this. You're a pretty good potions brewer, am I right?"

"I like to think so, sir," said Alex.

"There's an ingredient that would be useful," said Moody, "In fact, I happen to have a book about it right here."

He handed her a book and Alex flipped to the first page. It talked about gillyweed, a type of weed found in the depths of freshwater lakes. Its main purpose was to allow humans to breath underwater for approximately one hour. Alex looked up at Professor Moody happily. This was it, a way for Harry to breathe underwater and not drown!

"Thank you, sir," said Alex joyfully and was turning to leave when he called out to her.

"The potion's storeroom is a great place," he said, "Full of ingredients that could be helpful."

He winked and Alex ran out of the classroom. She first went to drop off her bag in the dormitory and sped to the library. She was just about to enter when a cold voice stopped her.

"And where are you going, Miss Ratcliff?"

Snape was striding toward her. Alex looked through the window and saw her friends reading tons of books, books they didn't even need because she knew the answer.

"I just need to look something up for Care of Magical Creatures," she said.

"No, I think you were trying to skip our lesson," he said, his lip curling, "Come along now, we have a lot of work to do."

Casting a look back to the library, Alex was forced to follow Snape into the dungeons. This time, they practiced dueling. Alex felt she was getting better, but as she did so, Snape worked her more ragged. He sent a spell that broke Alex's Shield Charm and Alex stumbled into a shelf full of empty vials. As Alex struggled to her feet, one of the glass pieces cut into her arm. She gasped in pain as blood flowed freely from the deep wound. At first, Snape didn't stop dueling, saying it was just a scratch. Finally, however, when he saw the amount of blood dripping onto his floor, he lowered his wand to the floor and the mess vanished. He then handed her a rag that Alex wound tightly around her arm.

"Your lesson is finished for tonight," said Snape, as though nothing was wrong and his students just started spontaneously bleeding all the time, "And if I ever catch you trying to miss a lesson, well…I wouldn't suggest doing it again."

Alex left quickly and headed to the Hospital Wing, seeing as Snape wasn't going to do anything about her arm. She was walking down a corridor when she heard a voice call to her.

"Ratcliff!" she turned and saw Professor Moody limping toward her, "What are you doing here? What happened to your arm?"

"I was with Snape having extra lessons," Alex explained as she tried to keep the rag from dripping onto the flagstone floor, "And I cut myself on some glass."

"Hurry along then," said Moody, "I'll make sure you get there in one piece. I was supposed to take you to see Professor Dumbledore, but I think that will have to wait."

They reached the Hospital Wing and Madame Pomfrey took care of Alex's arm, taking the now soaked rag and putting it in a metal pan. It was a very deep cut and Alex needed to take a few potions to make sure she wouldn't get an infection.

"Even empty potions vials have some rather nasty stuff in them," said Madame Pomfrey, "You should spend the night for observation, just in case there was something left over from the last time those vials were used."

Alex nodded without complaint. She felt extremely drained and had a feeling one of the potions she took was a sleeping draught.

"Just as long as I can go to the second task," said Alex as her eyes struggled to remain open.

"Of course," the matron said and turned to Professor Moody, "Thank you for bringing her here, I can't believe Professor Snape didn't make sure she got here all right. She could have fainted from the blood loss, this wasn't just a scratch!"

"You're welcome. I should go talk to the Headmaster. They'll need to find another person for Potter now, I'm sure that Weasley boy will do just fine."

The rest of the conversation was lost as Alex's anvil-weighted eyes won and she fell into a dreamless sleep.

_Author's Note: Please review and then continue to the next chapter!_


	21. Chapter 19 The Second Task

_Author's Note: Still own nothing!_

Chapter 19 The Second Task

Alex awoke and sat up, a sharp pain in her arm. She looked to see it had a freshly changed bandage on it. She was just about to lie back down and go to sleep when she realized what day it was. She sat back up with a start and started getting out of bed.

"I can see you're up then," said Madame Pomfrey, walking over with a screen and a change of clothes for Alex. "Miss Patil and Miss Brown brought them for you. Don't worry though, you still have an hour and a half before the task starts."

Alex changed into her clothes and thanked the matron as she dashed out of the Hospital Wing. She ran to her dormitory where she found Parvati and Lavender playing cards on the floor.

"Oh good," said Parvati with a sigh of relief, "You're here. We thought we'd have to go downstairs without you. Where's Hermione?"

"She's not here?" Alex asked, looking around for her best friend.

"No, she never came back last night," said Lavender worriedly, "We thought she was with you in the Hospital Wing."

"She's probably just in the Great Hall getting breakfast," said Alex, but she was nervous too. They were probably still in the library, which meant they hadn't found out about the gillyweed.

As they went to the Great Hall, Alex took the others through a detour to the library. Madame Pince was just opening it up when Alex arrived.

"Excuse me," said Alex politely, "But have you seen Hermione Granger in here today?"

"No one's been in here yet," Madame Pince said briskly, "The library closes at night, I make sure of that, and I only just opened it."

Alex went down to breakfast and found no sign of Hermione anywhere. She looked and saw Ron and Harry were absent as well. Alex started panicking then, the task started in less than fifteen minutes. She ate something quick and raced out of the Great Hall and straight into someone.

"Sorry," she said and saw it was Draco who she had run headlong into.

"Watch where you're going, Ratcliff," he said but she knew it was all an act, "I can see you're a klutz today so I'll let you off this time." He gestured to her bandaged arm.

"I have your Head of House to thank for that, Malfoy," said Alex coldly, there was no need for acting there, "You haven't shoved my friends into a toilet or something, have you Malfoy?"

"Has someone really done that? I'll have to send them flowers," sneered Malfoy, but barely hiding a smile, "Is poor Potter hiding because he doesn't want to compete?"

Alex stormed off, winking at him as she left. So Draco hadn't seen her friends anywhere either, where in Merlin's name were they? Alex went outside to the stands that had been built by the lake for the challenge. She scanned the area and didn't see Hermione or Ron anywhere. Finally, she spotted Harry running to the lake, just barely making it in time for the challenge. Alex was soon joined by Parvati and Lavender as Professor Dumbledore stood up.

"Good morning everyone!" he shouted, "Our champions must go into the depths of the lake to find something the merpeople have taken from them. They have an hour to do so, starting at the sound of the clock bell. Champions, you have five minutes to prepare yourselves."

Alex saw Harry holding a slimy substance in his hand. She pushed her way through the crowd until she was at the front.

"Harry!" she shouted. He turned and waved to her, smiling nervously. "Where are Hermione and Ron?"

He tilted his head to one side and held a hand to his ear. Alex shouted her question again but Dumbledore told the champions to get ready. Alex went back to her seat with Parvati and Lavender and waited. The bell sounded and Alex watched Harry shove something into his mouth and dove into the water. He didn't come up again and Alex closed her eyes in fear.

But instead of the darkness of the inside of her eyelids, she found herself underwater with Harry swimming by her side. Or was it? The face was Harry but he had flippers and webbed hands and…gills. Startled, she opened her eyes and found herself above ground. Parvati and Lavender were too wrapped up in the event to notice Alex's jump of fear. Seeing that she was safely in her seat, Alex closed her eyes once more and found herself alongside Harry. She followed Harry through the lake, going deeper into the unknown.

Alex had tried talking to Harry, but he ignored her. Alex was reminded of their first year when she had seen Quirrell attacking Harry like she was there too. It was cool, but extremely weird for Alex because she found she could breathe normally under the water.

A noise on her left caused Alex to turn. A shadow passed next to them but she couldn't make it out. Harry had pulled out his wand and waited for a few seconds. When nothing appeared, he continued onward. It was a long time before they saw anything, Alex wondering what time it was. She found she couldn't move her arms or legs that she just drifted along, somehow keeping up with Harry.

As she drifted, Alex saw a small village coming into view. Everywhere, merpeople were coming out of their homes and staring at Harry. Alex guessed that they couldn't see her because no one even looked her way. Soon they came to the center of the village where four people were tied by their ankles and were floating ominously. Gasping, Alex saw Hermione and Ron were among the group. She also saw Cho Chang and a little girl that resembled Fleur.

Harry swam over to Ron and tried to untie him. Alex looked around and saw a sharp rock.

"Hey, try to cut him loose with that rock," she said, knowing he couldn't hear her but it made her feel better.

Harry stopped what he was doing and looked down, as if he knew where Alex was pointing. Picking up the rock, he cut away at Ron's binding. Once he was finished with that, he swam over to Hermione. Quick as lightning, a muscular merman pointed a trident at Harry's chest and shook his head. Harry opened his mouth but all that came out were bubbles. Suddenly, the merman and the others fled in fright and Alex turned to see Cedric swimming towards them with what looked like a fish bowl on his head. He pulled out a pocket-knife and cut Cho's bindings. He pointed to his watch and then at the surface. Harry nodded and watched as Cedric took off. A few seconds later, Alex saw a shark coming. She let out a shout but then saw it was only the head of a shark and the body of a man.

_Must be Krum,_ thought Alex.

Krum tried biting at the ropes but Harry handed him the rock instead, obviously afraid Krum would take off Hermione's arm. Krum nodded in thanks and took off upwards. Alex waited for Harry to take Ron and go but he just stayed there.

"What are you doing?" Alex asked angrily, "For heaven's sake, just go!"

But Alex knew Harry wasn't leaving until he knew Fleur's hostage was safe. The minutes ticked by until finally Harry picked up the rock and cut the little girl free. He then took Ron and the girl and began the journey up to the open air. As Alex glided along, invisible to all, she noticed Harry's flippers turning into regular feet and his webbed hands return to normal. Unable to do anything, Alex watched in horror as her friend struggled upwards. He finally pushed Ron and the little girl up in front of him. He was just about to reach the surface when a long-fingered hand grabbed his ankle and dragged him down.

"Harry!" Alex shouted as she saw her friend go down into the depths of the lake.

…...

Someone was shaking her roughly and Alex's eyes snapped open. Parvati and Lavender were standing next to her, looking scared but relieved.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you, Alex?" Lavender asked.

Alex ignored them as she pushed her way to the front and over the barrier. Hermione was dripping wet with a towel around her, looking out as Ron helped the small girl to shore. When she saw Alex standing there, she looked at her worriedly.

"Where's Harry?" she asked, "Did he ever figure out how to breathe underwater?"

"Yes, and a lot of good that did him," said Alex as Fleur swooped down on the girl and hugged her close, "He didn't want that girl to not be rescued so he brought her up as well. But something grabbed him and pulled him back down before he could get up."

"Alex, how do you know…?"

"I saw it!" said Alex anxiously, "I was there, but not really. It was like in our first year with the Sorcerer's Stone. He…"

But her voice trailed off when she saw something rise to the surface of the lake. She'd recognize that head of hair anywhere, it was Harry! He was okay!

Harry swam to shore, coughing up water as he did so. As soon as he was within arms reach, Alex threw her arms around him and began talking so fast that Harry held a hand to his head.

"Harry, take this or you'll freeze," said Hermione, handing him a towel like the one she had, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said with a smile, "A grindlylow grabbed my leg just before I reached the surface. I had to fight him off but I'm alive."

Seeing that Harry was fine, Alex gave him a hard slap on the back of his head, saying, "That's what you get for being stupid! You were the first one there, for Merlin's sake!"

"I wanted to make sure no one got left behind," said Harry, rubbing the back of his head where Alex had slapped him, "And how did you know about that?"

Just then, Dumbledore began talking and the entire group became silent in an instant.

"Congratulations to everyone!" Dumbledore said with a smile, "We have had a hard time deciding the points. I have been told by the head merchief that it was Mr. Harry Potter who arrived at the sight first, but was the last to leave because he wanted to free everyone. The standings are as follows: Fleur Delacore comes in fourth place because she never reached the sight, Victor Krum comes in third place, Harry Potter comes in second, and Cedric Diggory comes in first. We have a tie for first place between Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory. Let us give a round of applause to our champions!"

"Well, at least you didn't come in last," said Alex with a laugh while patting Harry on the shoulder.

"This means that Cedric Diggory and Harry Potter are tied for first place, Viktor Krum is in second place, and Fleur Delacore is in third. Thank you all and stay warm!"

Fleur came over to Harry and Ron and gave them each two kisses on their cheeks. They both turned red and Hermione glared darkly at Fleur as she left with, they now knew, her sister. Hermione was talking animatedly with Harry, praising him, when Krum came over to their group.

"You 'ave a beetle in your hair," he said and pulled it out for her. Hermione smiled politely and continued her conversation, leaving Krum looking put out. Ron, however, was surprised.

"I thought you liked him," he said as Krum went to join his Durmstrang friends, "Why were you so cool with him?"

"He's all right," said Hermione nonchalantly, "But he isn't much of a conversationalist. He just likes to watch me study for the most part, it gets rather annoying actually."

They all headed back to the common room in high spirits. Her friends wanted to know why she had bandages on her arm so Alex told them everything that happened with Moody and Snape. When she finished, Ron said some rather rude comments about Snape but Hermione was looking intently at Alex.

"You mean that Professor Moody told you about the gillyweed?" she asked, "But that's illegal, the champions aren't supposed to get outside help."

"Oh yes," said Alex sarcastically, "And just look at how great we're sticking to that rule! Maxime's been using Hagrid to figure out the tasks so she can tell little miss sunshine and somehow Krum's always known about the tasks. If their all trying to one-up us, I say we don't be the goody two-shoes and cheat a little too. Harry deserves this more than anyone else!"

"So you were going to be the person Harry had to save?" asked Ron with a snort, "Thanks a lot, Alex. You just had to go and get yourself hurt. I, on the other hand, had to spend the morning in a lake waiting for my knight in shining armor to rescue me."

"Hardy har har," Harry laughed sarcastically while rolling his eyes, "Maybe if it was Alex, I wouldn't have waited around while risking your life, Ron." The others laughed as Harry managed to avoid a slap from Ron. "It makes sense they would chose you, though," said Harry thoughtfully, "You pretty much are like my sister."

"Aw, you're so sweet!" cooed Alex while batting her eyelashes flagrantly, causing the others to laugh as she reached over and ruffled Harry's already messy hair.

They spent the rest of the day resting and taking a break from the homework. Alex was sketching Fred and George leaning over a piece of paper, whispering quietly, when a tap on the window startled her. She looked and saw Monty sitting on the window outside. She let him in and he dropped a note in her lap, hooting happily.

_"It's from your dad!" _he said as he ruffled his feathers.

Alex took it and felt that it was a lot lighter than she expected, especially after her last letter to him. She opened it and scanned the paper, though there wasn't much to read. All it said was, "Hogsmede dates on back." and Alex called her friends over. They each read the letter in turn and Harry wrote them all down. She saw the next one was the end of the month. Alex then tied the letter to Monty.

_"Be careful out there,"_ she said, _"Make sure no one sees you."_

_"No problem, oh Captain my Captain!"_ he said and took off. Alex burst into laughter and the others looked confused.

"Only my owl would make a reference to an American poet," she said through her giggles. She saw their confusion and stood up, hands clasped behind her back.

"O Captain my Captain! our fearful trip is done,

The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won,

The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,

While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;

But O heart! heart! heart!

O the bleeding drops of red,

Where on the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;

Rise up-for you the flag is flung for you the bugle trills,

For you bouquets and ribboned wreaths for you the shores a-crowding,

For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;

Here Captain! dear father!

This arm beneath your head!

It is some dream that on the deck,

You've fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;

My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;

The ship is anchored safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;

From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won;

Exult O shores, and ring O bells!

But I, with mournful tread,

Walk the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead."

"Merlin's beard!" cried Ron as Alex sat back down, "You memorized all of that?"

"In school back in the Muggle world, we had a poetry project where we had to pick a poem and recite it in front of the class," she explained, "I went back to my American roots and picked that one by a poet named Walt Whitman. I'll have you know I got top marks with that poem!"

"Kinda morbid, isn't it?" Harry asked, "I mean, the guy's father dies right before they win the battle. He didn't even get to see the end of the war."

"I think it's lovely," said Hermione with a smile at Alex.

"I wonder why Orion wants to know Hogsmede dates?" Ron asked curiously as they all stared off into the fire, the words of Whitman's poem in their minds.

"I don't know," said Alex with sigh as she returned to her sketch, "But I hope he's not planning on coming here. If anyone saw him…" She couldn't even say it.

"Don't worry so much," said Harry, but his face was full of it, "I'm sure he wouldn't do anything that would endanger his freedom."

Alex looked at him with raised eyebrows. If his actions in the Shrieking Shack were anything like his actual personality, Alex could imagine her father coming into the castle for a visit.

…...

The next morning at breakfast, Hermione received the _Prophet_ and let out a shout of indignation. Alex jumped in shock and spilled her milk all over her eggs and Harry's porridge, causing both to be upset.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked as she wiped her plate clean and scooped new eggs onto her plate.

"That Skeeter woman!" said Hermione angrily and her friends drew back. The only time she had been this mad was when she had hit Draco Malfoy across the face. Hermione slammed the newspaper onto the table and Ron picked it up, reading it aloud.

"Harry Potter: Hogwarts' Newest Player? Harry Potter, a young boy of twelve, is the fourth champion in the world-famous Tri-Wizard Tournament, writes Rita Skeeter. For those who have been living under a rock for the last few years, this was the same boy who defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named when he was barely a year old. And yet, is he really England's innocent sweetheart?"

"I'm fourteen, for Merlin's sake!" Harry said angrily but Alex shushed him and Ron continued reading aloud.

"The latest information tells us that Harry Potter has, not one, but _two_ girlfriends! They are, in fact, his close friends Hermione Granger and Alex Ratcliff. The two girls are said to be inseparable and do almost everything together. I do wonder how they will take to finding out the other is dating their boyfriend. But the fun doesn't end here. Hermione, an average-looking girl who loves to be in the library, is also dating the well-known Quidditch super-star, Victor Krum! If Harry's knows, he doesn't seem to mind, but then again he's dating two people as well. It seems Alex, a tall beauty with a bit of a temper, is the only one true to one man, since she has not been seeing the boy she took to the Yule Ball. Looks like love at Hogwarts can get very complicated!"

There was silence as Ron put the paper down and looked at his three friends with raised eyebrows.

"Hermione!" said Alex putting a hand to her mouth and pretending to be appalled, "How dare you steal my man when you have one of your own!"

"It's not funny, Alex!" said Hermione furiously, "First Harry with that stupid article about him being a crybaby, then Hagrid with the demeaning commentary about his background, and now us!"

"She's making you two," said Ron to the girls, "To be like some scarlet women who throw themselves at anything with pants."

Alex and Hermione turned to each other and laughed. Ron looked confused and turned to Harry, who was chuckling.

"What?" Ron asked.

"S-Sorry Ron," said Hermione, still giggling, "It's just funny hearing those words come out of your mouth."

So yes, during the day Alex and Hermione were stared at and whispered about while Harry received death stares from a lot of people. Alex had arrived at Arithmancy early and found Draco sitting in his seat with the _Prophet_ in his hands. He looked up at Alex as she came in and smiled.

"So, I hear you're involved with some relationship troubles," he said, holding up the _Prophet_.

"Please tell me you don't believe a word of that bullshit," said Alex as she unpacked her books.

"I don't know…" said Draco with a playful smile, "I mean, you two are really close…"

Alex gave him a light shove and laughed. He put away the newspaper and got out his books too.

"How do you think she gets her information?" Alex asked thoughtfully, "I mean, she mentioned little things about us like my temper and Hermione's love for books. And then there was that thing about me and Nick not seeing each other, it's like she's invisible and watching us." She glanced over her shoulder as though she thought Rita Skeeter was there now, scribbling everything she heard.

"I haven't a clue," Draco said, shrugging, "She probably gets students to give her tidbits and then she makes up the rest, based on what she has. Listen, have you told Dumbledore what you saw during the Yule Ball?" Alex shuddered as she remembered that show of cruelty and shook her head. "You really should," Draco continued, "Dumbledore would want to know."

Alex nodded but just then other people came in and she took out her homework, trying to figure out how she would tell the Headmaster what she saw without putting herself in danger.

_Author's Note: Okay, so I know that I promised you guys two chapters last night and another today, but the chapter I wanted to post today needs major work because, frankly, I don't like it. And since I'm getting ready to leave soon, I don't have time to doll it all up for my lovely readers and I'd never post something I really don't like. It's not fair to you all who have been so good to me. So hopefully these two chapters will be sufficient enough for you all. _

Are you calling me crazy?:_ Yeah, that ride was so amazing! During the Quidditch part, I really felt like I was flying with them and was part of the game. As for the motorcycles, I would love to have a flying one too. Can you tell I like flying? :P Thank you so much for your review!_

_Please let me know what you thought of the last two chapters. I'm curious as to your reactions to everything because I love knowing how my readers like the stuff going on in the story. When I get back, I'll fix that one chapter and have it up as soon as I can. Thank you all for your reviews, favorites, and alerts. Missing you all already!_


	22. Chapter 20 A Very Downing Day

_Author's Note: I only own Alex and anything you don't remember reading from J.K Rowling's books._

Chapter 20 A Very Downing Day

Snow was falling hard the day of the Hogsmede trip at the beginning of February. Alex and her friends had bundled up in every available bit of clothing they could find and still allowed them to walk. Soon, Alex, Hermione, Ron, and Harry were walking down the main street followed by Parvati, Lavender, and a few other friends they had brought with them.

"We want to go to that fudge place," they had told Alex that morning.

She had reached the side street and found another crowd of people waiting for something. It turned out to be her. Fred and George walked up to Alex, wearing identical evil grins.

"We just told a few people where to find the best fudge in Hogsmede for a good price," George said, his voice full of mirth.

"I have no idea how all these people found out," continued Fred.

Alex just rolled her eyes with a smile and led the way. Twisting and turning down the streets Alex had memorized, they finally reached the shop. Alex entered first followed by the others and the look on Mrs. Hinkins' face was priceless. Her eyes were wider than saucers and her mouth was agape. Never had she had so many customers at one time. She came out from behind the counter and embraced the young girl, tears in her eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered, "How can I ever repay you?"

"You don't need to," said Alex, "Just keep doing what you do best: making sweets."

The four fourth year Gryffindors left the shop and headed toward the hills. They had gotten a letter earlier that morning from Sirius with that day's date circled and the words, "Hilltop cave." written in handwriting that made it seem like he wrote it in a hurry. As they climbed, Alex fumbled with the bag on her shoulder, full to the brim with all kinds of food. They all knew that Sirius would be hungry after being on the run for some time.

Alex was anxious to see her father, and not just because he was supposed to be in hiding and Hogsmede was full of people who could easily spot him. He had never really responded to the letter that she had sent him after the Yule Ball and she was nervous as to his reaction. Alex desperately hoped that he wouldn't say "I told you so" or anything like that. She already felt bad enough for what happened and didn't need that to be rubbed in as well. They finally reached the top and they stopped to catch their breath.

"So…what now?" Alex asked, looking around, "It isn't likely we're going to find a sign saying, "This way to Sirius' cave!" or anything."

Just then, a large black dog came bounding toward them happily. He jumped up onto Alex's shoulders and gave her a gigantic lick on the face, doing the same to the others as well. He then barked and began walking toward one of the many caves on the hilltop. When the four entered, they found Sirius Black standing there in human form, grinning widely.

"I think I smelled chicken in that bag," he said, nodding to Alex's bag.

Alex looked her father up and down. He looked better than when she saw him at her house, but that wasn't saying much. He was still as thin as a rail with his face gaunt and hollowed. She gave him the bag and watched as he ate hungrily.

"This is so much better than rats," he said as he gnawed on a chicken leg, causing Ron to turn paler than usual.

They waited until Sirius finished eating. Finally, when her father cleaned the last bone and threw it to Buckbeak, Alex sat down on the floor with the others.

"Thank you for the Christmas gifts," said Harry after an awkward pause, "Alex and I really love them."

"I managed to find some parts while I was traveling," Sirius said, "And I took apart my motorcycle so that each of you could have a little of mine in there."

"Why are you here?" said Alex, getting straight to the point, "It's not safe for you to be so near Hogwarts. What if they catch you?"

"I only came to see how you all were doing," Sirius said, looking at each of the Gryffindors in turn, "It's so hard to get the feel of things from letters. So, how are those tasks coming, Harry?"

Harry told his godfather about each of the ones in turn. When he told Sirius he was tied for first, Sirius' eyes glowed with pride.

"James would be so proud of you, Harry," Sirius said and clapped Harry on the shoulder.

"I've had help for every task, though," said Harry, turning a little red, "I couldn't have figured out any of them without everyone giving me tips."

"But when it came down to going through with it, you didn't cower in fear and run. You were a Gryffindor and stood up tall and did your best. No matter how much advice or help you get, in the end it's up to you to complete the task." Sirius sighed and turned his attention to his daughter. "How's good ol' Snapey treating you?"

"Not horribly," said Alex with a shrug, "I think he knows that if you get a whiff of something bad, you'll be here before he can say "Polyjuice". I'm learning quickly, but not quickly enough for him I think."

"Mmhm, and I heard you've been helping Hagrid out as well."

"Well, not as much lately," said Alex with a frown, "Ever since his blood-line was made public, he hasn't been out and about as much. Stupid Skeeter bitch." She muttered that last part darkly. Sirius shrugged as if to say, "I should be reprimanding you but you speak the truth."

"Yes, Rita Skeeter was something of a busy-body at school. She was a lot younger than us, but she always wanted to know who we Marauders liked," said Sirius, his eyes glazing over and his mind returning to a long forgotten time. He shook his head and returned to the present, "So has Dumbledore told you about the disappearances yet?"

"What disappearances?" they asked in unison.

"I take it he didn't," Sirius said with a grim look. He took out a worn clipping from the Daily Prophet and showed it to them, saying as they read, "I thought you got a copy, Hermione."

"I do," she said, jumping a little at being addressed as she read, "But this must've been before the start of term. That's when I decided to get it."

As Alex skimmed the cutout, she saw it was about the mysterious disappearance of a woman named Bertha Jorkins. That name rang a bell in Alex's head, but she didn't know where it came from. The article said that Jorkins had vanished while on vacation over the summer.

"Have they found her yet?" Ron asked, "My dad used to talk about her, she was always full of the Ministry gossip."

"As far as I know, not yet," said Sirius, "But I knew her too. Even then, she was the leader in gossip. I always thought it would get her into trouble someday."

"You mean," said Alex, looking at her father worriedly, "You think she's dead because she knew too much? But who would kill her? Not the minister…right?"

"No, Fudge wouldn't do that. He's a spineless little thing. No, I've seen this before, it all started like this. A few people would disappear, never to be seen or heard from again. Then, people would act strangely; like they weren't themselves because they _weren't_ themselves…Voldemort was controlling them."

"Voldemort?" said Harry and Alex together.

"But he's gone," said Hermione in a high-pitched voice, "Harry and Alex destroyed him when they were babies. He's just a weak, spirit-like thing. We saw him in our first year!"

"He's getting stronger," Sirius said darkly, "If Alex and Harry's dreams are to be believed, little Peter has found his master after all and is nursing him back to health. Listen to me, Harry and Alex, stay close to your friends. Don't let anyone who you wouldn't trust with your life near you without someone else being there. And you two," he said to Ron and Hermione, "Watch out for them. You never know how much someone means to you until you lose them."

Alex couldn't resist rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest. She noticed that Harry shifted, bristling with annoyance as well. This didn't go unnoticed by Sirius and he stared at his daughter for a long moment.

"You know guys, if you climb up the hill a little higher, there's a great view of the village," said Sirius, not looking at them, "You should go check it out."

"What? Why would we-ouch!" cried Ron as Hermione stomped on his foot.

"Thanks Sirius, we'll see you in a bit. Come find us later, Alex," said Hermione as she dragged the boys out of the cave and up the hill.

Alex sat in silence while waiting for her father to speak. _She_ wasn't going to start the conversation; she had nothing to say. Finally, she heard Sirius sigh loudly.

"I wish your mother was here," he said, "She would know how to handle these types of situations."

"Funny," snarled Alex bitterly, "I thought my mother had too nasty of a temper that impaired her judgment. It seems that I've inherited that too and I'm doomed to be a bitchy, hot-tempered girl for the rest of my life!"

"I see Remus talked to you," muttered Sirius.

"You knew he sent me that letter?" Alex said, whipping around to face her father, "Do you have any idea how much it hurt to read that? It made me feel like I couldn't even be trusted to look after my friends, look after myself! I'm not four years old anymore; I've had to look after myself all the years I've been at Hogwarts. And guess what? I'm getting a pretty good handle on it!"

"We're just trying to protect you, Alex," said Sirius in a calming tone, "You and Harry are in danger and we want you to know what you're up against."

"You don't think we know what we're up against?" she shouted, rising to her feet and shaking with fury, "The greatest dark wizard of all time is after us for something that we did when we were barely a year old. He wants to murder us out of revenge for leaving him powerless for the last thirteen years. And now it seems that he's getting stronger because Peter Pettigrew, the man who betrayed my mum and Harry's parents to Voldemort, is helping him! Oh, and let's not forget the fact that someone entered Harry into a dangerous tournament and that person is more than likely working for Voldemort! Sounds like we know perfectly well what we're up against!"

"Alex, please listen to me!" said Sirius as she opened her mouth to continue ranting, "You and Harry mean everything in the world to Remus and me. Remus has no children and he looks on you two as the son and daughter he never had. Harry is my godson and practically my son now. And you, you're my only daughter. You're the only thing I have left of a life that was taken away from me. I can't be at Hogwarts to protect you from whoever the spy is there so I feel like I'm actually doing something productive when I tell you to be on your guard. I'm just trying to look out for you."

"Trying to look out for me, huh?" she said, laughing without mirth, "Where were you the first ten years of my life when people asked why I lived with my grandparents and then a complete stranger? Where were you when I had to face Voldemort twice during my first and second year?" Tears were spilling and falling down her cheeks as her voice became shakier and higher in pitch. "Where were you last year when I wasn't even sure if I'd have a home to go back to at the end of the year? And where were you as I sat in a corridor crying my eyes out because some guy tried to use me?"

At this, Alex completely broke down. She heard footsteps walk toward her and felt her father wrap his arms around her tightly. Alex quickly hugged him back as she sobbed. During all of this, her father kept repeating words of comfort mixed in with apologies. Finally, Alex calmed down and wiped her eyes.

"Alexandria, look at me." She raised her eyes and met identical stormy grey ones. "I may not be the best father and it'll take some adjusting for the both of us, but always know that I love you more than anything on this Earth. And if I ever seem overbearing or that I don't think you capable of something, that's just because I can't stand the thought of anything happening to you or Harry."

"I know and I'm sorry I shouted at you," said Alex with a heavy sigh, "I guess I'm just like Mum."

"No, you're not exactly like her at all," Sirius said, gripping her a little tighter, "You may have her fun-loving spirit and loyalty and, yes, her fiery temper, but you are different as well. You listen to everything before you make a decision and you are much more dedicated to your studies." Alex chuckled lightly as he continued, "But you also have more control with your temper, something your mother tried hard at but never completely mastered. You may look like Alana and _sometimes_ act like her, but you are Alexandria Black."

Alex nodded and hugged her father close. After she broke away, he asked her to find the others and bring Harry in as well. She nodded and left, finding them all sitting up at the top of the hill. Once Harry was gone and Alex was seating beside Hermione, her best friend spoke.

"Everything all right now?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's all good," replied Alex with a small smile.

Fifteen minutes later, a beaming Harry called them down and they reentered the cave to find Sirius petting Buckbeak.

"You four better head off, it's almost five. I'll walk you to the gate. Oh, by the way, Harry," Sirius said, frowning at his godson, "I've heard you're the new player at Hogwarts. You're welcome to my title, but don't mess around with my daughter."

Harry gaped and tried to speak, but saw his godfather's smile and looked relieved. Sirius transfigured into a dog and led the way down the hill and into town. People stared as they passed, little children begged their mothers to, "pet the doggie, please!", and other Hogwarts students did double takes. Why were those Gryffindors hanging around with a stray dog?

Numerous people came up to Alex and told her they had gone to Hinkins' fudge store and vowed to go there every time. She felt that she had just done something big, but didn't know what. Finally, they reached the gate and Alex knelt down to the dog. She hated leaving him when he was obviously starving himself just so that he could be nearby.

"You be good now," she whispered and kissed the top of his head. He responded by licking her hand.

As they went up to the castle, the mood was heavy. There was a chance Voldemort was coming back…and someone in Hogwarts wanted Harry dead. Alex and Harry each had their talks with Sirius and worked out their issues with the man on the run. The two of them were silently reflecting on what they had discussed.

"Well," said Ron, trying to lighten the mood, "It could be worse. We could be surviving on rats in a cave. I'll tell you something guys, he must really care about you two. I can't imagine eating rats and stealing papers all year."

Alex smiled as then entered the common room. She had just sat down when a little first year girl came up to her shyly.

"'Scuse me, but I was told to give this to you when you got back," the girl said quietly and handed Alex a letter. Alex opened the letter and read it to herself.

"What is it?" Harry asked, seeing his friend's face pale.

"It's a summoning to Dumbledore's office," said Alex, her voice shaking, "The owners of Honeydukes want to sue me, and Mrs. Hinkins, for stealing their business ideas."

"What?" her friends said together.

"I've been taking people to Mrs. Hinkins' shop and they think that we're trying to steal their ideas." Alex stood up and began pacing.

"That's ridiculous!" shouted Ron angrily, "You're just showing people a new place to shop for food! Is that really so horrible they want to sue?"

"It is because everyone would rather go to Mrs. Hinkins than Honeydukes because it's cheaper. Honeydukes doesn't want to have to compete with another sweet shop." She looked at the letter again and sighed, "It says they want me to be present at five forty-five. What time is it now?"

"Five fifteen," said Ron, "You're not actually going to let them do this, are you? This is madness!"

"Just enough time," Alex muttered and took off, not even listening as her friends called her back.

She sprinted down the stairs and to the dungeons. She opened the door to the classroom where she and Draco usually worked, but he wasn't there. Cursing softly but profusely, she left the room and began walking down corridors. She eventually used her Invisibility necklace so that the Slytherins wouldn't stare at her as she passed. She followed two girls who had said they needed to get their bags from the common room. They opened the door and went in, Alex barely slipping by as the door closed.

It was just as dark and dreary as she remembered from two years ago. She watched as the girls went up a staircase and she took the other, hoping no one else would be coming down. The staircase was tight and she knew that if another person were to come down, they'd run right into her. She reached the top without any trouble and found the door with a plaque with a number four on it. As she reached for the knob, she realized the fullness of what she was doing.

_I'm in the boy's dormitory, in the Slytherin common room no less, trying to find a guy who may not even be here!_ she thought wildly, _I really must be going crazy._

Quietly, she opened the door and peeked in. Draco was sitting on his bead scanning the pages of some book while he wrote. There was no one else in the room. Alex really couldn't believe her luck as she shut the door and walked over to him.

"Look Crabbe," he said, not even looking up from his work, "I've told you a thousand times not to bother me while I'm working! You need to learn how to write an essay without misspelling your name."

"Does he really not know how to spell his name?" Alex whispered as quietly as she could.

Draco jumped and looked around, not seeing anything because Alex was still invisible. She wanted to make sure no one else was in the bathroom or something.

"I think I'm dreaming," he said to himself when he saw there was no one there, "Or just losing my mind."

"It all depends on how you look at it," said Alex, sitting on the end of Draco's bed.

All he could see was an indent in his sheet where someone would be sitting. He stood up and walked over to where the indent was. Draco reached out into the air and ended up touching the side of her head.

"Holy Merlin!" he breathed, pulling his hand away, "Alex?"

"I need to talk to you," she said, "But I need to make sure no one's going to come in here and see me."

Draco went to the door and locked it, muttering a spell over the lock and returned to find Alex visible and sitting cross-legged on his bed, smiling.

"Do you have any idea how much you scared me, Alex?" he said as he sat down on the bed next to her.

"Sorry, but it's really important," she said, pulling out the letter and handing it to him. He read it carefully and reread it several times before looking up in horror.

"This is all my fault," he said, "I shouldn't have shown you that place, shouldn't have roped you into this as well. Merlin!"

"Draco, don't blame yourself," she said kindly, "I shouldn't have told so many people. I just wanted her to have better business because she deserves it. What should I do?"

"I'm not going to let them do anything to you," he said, getting up and pacing, "Or Mrs. Hinkins. I'll take the blame, tell them it was my idea and-"

"No," said Alex, standing up and coming to him, "That'll make things worse than they already are. You're father will get involved and you'll get in trouble for something you didn't do."

"Then what am I supposed to do, watch you get blamed for something that has nothing to do with you? I promised you I'd never let anything happen to you, Alex, and I'm going to stand by that promise."  
>"I understand Draco, but I need you to help me do something better." She whispered her idea in his ear and he looked at her.<p>

"You think that'll work?" he asked.

"It has to," she said with her face set, "It's the only plan I've got, but we need to hurry."

Draco led the way down the stairs and out of the common room, down dark and damp corridors until they came to the Potions classroom. Alex ran over to the cauldron where they kept the Polyjuice potion and grabbed a vile. She scooped some in and pulled out one of her hairs, placing it into the solution. It fizzed and turned a deep purple. She handed it to Malfoy, saying, "It really lasts only an hour so wait until you're ready. Make sure you find a place to hide while you change back and be careful, stay on the first three floors only."

"Careful is my middle name," he said.

Alex gave him a swift hug and ran off to find Fred and George, leaving Draco to his part of the plan.

_Author's Note: Hi everyone! I hope those of you on summer vacation are enjoying yourselves. I just got back from my college orientation and am very excited now for college! But enough about me, I want to hear from my readers…if there are any still around. I know it's been a while since my last update and I apologize for that. Things got a little crazy around here. :P _

Are you calling me crazy?:_ The part with Alex being able to see Harry will be explained later, but it is pretty cool. __I remember when I saw Draco on the ride, I started freaking out and saying to my sister, "It's him! Oh my gosh it's him!". My parents went on that time with us and were slightly confused as to why I freaked out at Draco but not at Harry and the others, but it was really funny. Anyway, I'm now off to read all the chapters you posted of your story so you'll be hearing from my very soon! Can't wait! :D_

_Thank you to everyone who reviewed while I was away, those who favorite the stories, and put me on alert. I love all you guys for your support and please continue to tell me what you think! :D_


	23. Chapter 21 Someone Who Really Cares

Chapter 21 Someone Who Really Cares

Alex knocked on the door of the Headmaster's office and it opened of its own accord. She entered and found Dumbledore, McGonagall, Mrs. Hinkins, and two unfamiliar people in the room.

"Please sit, Alex," said Dumbledore wearily, "We have much to discuss."

Alex sat in a chair and waited, hoping with all her heart that her plan would work. For the last twenty minutes, Alex and her three Gryffindor friends had been running around the castle asking people to sign a petition to help keep Alex from getting in trouble and keep Mrs. Hinkins' shop open. Once she had explained the plan, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were more than willing to help. While they had taken the fourth to the seventh floors and several towers, Draco had stayed on the first three while pretending to be Alex with the Polyjuice Potion. She knew that she couldn't have done the entire castle by herself and she needed all the help she could get. She only hoped that it was all worth it.

"These fine men," Dumbledore said, gesturing to the unfamiliar people in the room, "Are the legal representatives of the owners of Honeydukes Sweet shop. They are under the impression that you and Mrs. Hinkins are working together to overthrow their business. Is this true?"

"No sir," said Alex calmly, "Why would they think that?"

"We've seen her!" the one man said, a rather portly man with graying hair, "She's been leading our clients' customers out the shop and to that woman's place! We saw it today!"

"They asked to come with me, sir," said Alex, stressing the word, "I found the shop while walking around Hogsmede and gave some of my friends Mrs. Hinkins' fudge for a Christmas gift. They wanted to know where I got it from."

Just as the one man was about to speak angrily, there was a knock at the door. It opened of its own accord and Hagrid stood there, holding a piece of paper in his hand.

"Sorry to be botherin' yeh, Professor," said Hagrid, "But this was posted outside the entrance to yer office, the gargoyles were goin' crazy! It's some kind o' petition with names on it."

Dumbledore held out a wrinkled hand and Hagrid gave him the paper. The old man raised his half-moon spectacles and his bright blue eyes scanned the paper, a very small smile appearing on his lips. He raised his eyes to the two men, who were watching with interest and suspicion.

"It seems as if the Hogwarts students have come together and drawn up a petition. It says that Alex should be freed without a spot on any record, Ministry or school, and that Mrs. Hinkins' shop should remain open and in business. There are at least one hundred and fifty names on here, you may see them for yourselves. As members of the legal community, you undoubtedly understand that a petition with this many names can lead to a more, shall we say…violent means of protest."

The two men rose from their seats and snatched the paper away quickly. They read it as well and became very ruffled.

"Very well," the one man said, "Seeing as this caused such uproar amongst our clients' customers, we will…let all charges drop. Good day then."

They each tipped their hats coldly and left in a hurry. McGonagall had the petition in one hand while patting Mrs. Hinkins gently on the shoulder with her other hand. She looked at Alex and, for a moment, Alex thought she saw pride in the old Gryffindor Head's eyes.

"Alex, you are free to go," said Dumbledore, his face full of laughter, "I will make sure Mrs. Hinkins arrives back at her shop safely. I'm sure your friends must be worried about you."

"Professor," she said, sorry she had to dampen the Headmaster's high spirits, "I'm sorry but I have to tell you something important…in private if you don't mind."

Dumbledore nodded and McGonagall left with Mrs. Hinkins. Once the door closed, the Headmaster turned his full attention to Alex. She took a deep breath and relayed to him what she had seen that night of the Yule Ball.

"Well, I was trying to hide from my date outside because…um…he wasn't what I expected. When he found me, he also found his sister with a boy. I think she's younger than him and her date was old enough to go and had asked her. Anyway, he got angry and…and hit her. It seemed like he had done this often before and…I thought that, you know…someone should do something."

The Headmaster nodded and observed her closely. Alex lowered her eyes away from those bright blue orbs, unable to meet his gaze. It was as if he was looking right through her and saw that she was holding something back. He wasn't reading her mind, she would have known if he was, but he had that uncanny ability to tell when someone was holding something back.

"Alex, is that all that happened that night?" he asked gently.

At first, she was going to shake her head and lie. But as she thought back to that night, the memories of Nick dragging her to the closet came rushing back so vividly. Unconsciously, she wrapped her arms tightly around herself and bit her lip to keep herself from crying. Once Alex was calmer, she knew that she had to tell Dumbledore.

"He...He managed to get me away from my friends towards the end of the dance," she said in an almost-whisper, "I was still kinda shocked by what I saw that I didn't put up a fight until we were pretty far from the Great Hall. I told him I wanted to go back and he started getting more physical. He s-started dragging me, laughing as I struggled." She closed her eyes before continuing, "Someone heard me and managed to knock my date out. I looked over to where he was taking me and saw it was a broom cupboard. He...well, he obviously was under the impression that he was going to get lucky that night and didn't care whether I wanted to or not."

Dumbledore looked grim and pressed his fingers together, obviously thinking. Alex was quiet so the Headmaster would have no distractions. Finally, he looked at Alex and sighed.

"Alex, I need to know who this young man was and who his sister is as well. We do not tolerate any abuse and assault, both physical and sexual, at Hogwarts and he must be punished."

"What will happen to him?"

"We will talk with his sister and find out if it is true, so that there are two witnesses. The Heads of Houses will review all the evidence and if he is found guilty, he will be expelled," Dumbledore said with a weary look in his blue eyes, "His sister will need to see either myself to Madame Pomfrey once a week until we feel she has made a full recovery from her abuses."

"Is he going to be on trial or something?" she asked in confusion.

"No, not like what Elian had to go through last year," said Dumbledore, referring to when Uncle Monty had to fight his aunts for custody of Alex, "We will listen to the statements of his sister and yourself, as well as some of his other classmates. Then he will have a chance to defend himself and we will decide what to do."

"Will he be there while the witnesses talk?"

"No, we find that having the accused present in these types of situations only makes the process much more stressful," Dumbledore replied, "But I can't do anything unless you help me, Alex."

Alex bit her lip nervously. She'd have to tell Snape, Flitwick, McGonagall, and Sprout all that happened? The thought made her shiver violently as she stared out the window onto the grounds. Could she relive it all one more time if it meant keeping that creep from hurting anyone else again? Finally, she plucked up every ounce of courage and said, without a touch of fear in her voice, "I don't know last names, but the boy is Nick and the girl is Vanessa. They're in Ravenclaw and the boy's in my year and in my Arithmancy class. I'm sorry if that's not enough."

"No, that's fine," said Dumbledore with a smile, "That was a very brave thing to do, Alex. Most people your age wouldn't have done it, since you have him in your class. You're name will not be mentioned in this process and we will wait until the proper time to act, so you won't have to deal with him. Madame Pomfrey or myself will contact you soon about counseling and-"

"Oh no, I don't need any counseling!" said Alex quickly, eyes wide in horror.

"Alex, you suffered through a traumatic ordeal," he said kindly, "You should talk to someone about all of this."

"I've talked to my friends and my dad, I'll even write to Uncle Monty if you want. It's Vanessa who needs the help, not me. I'll be fine, sir," said Alex and, seeing his doubt, she added, "I have much more important things to think about and that will keep me from thinking about that night. I have good friends who are guys that prove to me everyday that not every boy or man is like Nick. But please don't make me have to relive that night every week. I know I won't recover as quickly."

The Headmaster looked at the young woman for a while and then sighed in defeat.

"Very well, Alex. But would you at least mind coming to my office once a month so I can check up on you? To appease an old man?"

"Of course, sir," said Alex with a smile.

"Good, I will send you an owl a week in advance. Thank you Alex, you may leave and go find you're friends."

Alex nodded and hurried out of the office, her mind whirling with the conversation she just had. She was dashing down the hall when someone grabbed her wrist and spun her back around. It was Draco. All thoughts of the conversation flew out of her head as Alex saw the concern on his face. He dragged her into a deserted classroom and closed the door silently.

"Well? Did it work? Did they drop everything?" he asked, looking genuinely worried that Alex couldn't lie to him.

"Yes! I'm not going to be thrown in Azkaban or something!" she said joyfully and hugged Draco.

Alex could hear him let out a sigh of relief as he hugged her back. They separated, both grinning widely.

"This calls for a celebration!" said Draco, "Tomorrow's a Sunday. In the afternoon, before lunch, meet me behind the greenhouses."

Alex agreed and went back to the common room. She told her friend she had gotten off and they were all very happy for her. She told them the final count and Hermione frowned.

"One hundred and fifty plus? How did you get them all in such a short period of time? Between the three of us, we only got about fifty."

"It wasn't easy," said Alex with a smile.

"While you were gone," said Harry, changing the subject as he held up an envelope for Alex, "I got a letter from Bagman. He says we're going to learn about the third task tomorrow evening."

"Any ideas on what it could be?" Ron asked.

"Well," said Alex, thinking as she skimmed the letter, "The last two had to do with magical creatures: dragons and merepeople. Maybe the next one will have one as well."

They brainstormed ideas but in the end, the four Gryffindors were tired and went to bed early.

…...

The next afternoon, Alex was walking toward the greenhouses by herself. She had somehow managed to convince her friends she had something to do outside with Hagrid so they wouldn't follow her. Once she reached the greenhouses, she found Draco waiting for her.

"You ready?" he asked and took her arm, leading her towards the forest. Alex stopped and slipped her arm out of Draco's grip.

"I can't go in there," she said, staring at the forest in front of them.

"Why? You're not afraid, are you?" Draco asked with a playful grin.

"Of course not!" said Alex heatedly, "Last time I went in there, the centaurs told me to never come back onto their land. I would prefer not to anger a heard of centaurs, thank you very much."

"I'll make sure the way we go will be far away from centaur territory, all right?" Draco asked. Alex thought for a moment and nodded, following her friend into the forest.

…...

It was getting dark when the two students crept out of the forest and onto school grounds. Alex and Draco had enjoyed lunch by a small lake in a clearing in the middle of the woods. They spent the time talking about everything from Quidditch to the Tri-Wizard Tournament. No centaurs bothered them, which Alex was very grateful for. She would have hated having to explain to Draco why the centaurs called her "another Black". Even though she trusted Draco with most things, she didn't think he would understand. After all, he had the "perfect" family life, even if his dad was a little off his rocker. At least he always knew who his parents where and had both of them still alive.

They reached the greenhouses and Alex thanked Draco for everything. They said their good-byes and went their separate ways. Alex was walking to her common room when loud footsteps echoed throughout the corridor. She turned and saw a panting Harry appear, looking frightened.

"Harry?" she asked, as Harry ran by her. She rushed to keep up with him and said, "What's wrong?"

"Crouch is mad!" said Harry, not slowing down at all but, if possible, speeding up, "Krum and I were talking and he appeared out of the forest. First he thinks he's at the ministry but then he's going on about needing to see Dumbledore. He told me to find him quickly and I left Krum with him."

"You left him with a madman?" shouted Alex as they reached gargoyles guarding a door, "You're just as crazy! Listen, you get Dumbledore and I'll go find Krum. Honestly, you left him alone? What were you thinking?"

"Well, I didn't have much of a choice!" called Harry as Alex sprinted out the door and onto the grounds.

Alex slowed down for a moment and closed her eyes. She could hear the animals muttering about something being wrong in the forest. The birds were eerily silent and the magical creatures were moving away from the "bad place". Then Alex saw it, right by the Quidditch field was Krum lying on the ground.

Running as fast as she could, she found Krum just like she had seen it before. Cursing under her breath, she got Krum up into a sitting position, listening with all her might. She heard a heartbeat and sighed with relief.

Voices were coming from the castle and she looked to see shadows coming out of the Entrance Hall door. Knowing it was too dark for them to see her if she waved, she pulled out her wand and sent up red sparks. Soon, the figures came rushing over and Alex could see them better. Leading the way was Harry, followed by Dumbledore, Moody, Snape, and Hagrid. Hagrid had his crossbow and was tailed by his bloodhound, Fang. Fang bounded over to Alex and Krum, licking their faces.

"Down boy," said Hagrid, pulling hard at his collar.

"Are you all right, Alex?" Dumbledore asked, looking at her worriedly.

"I'm fine, sir," she said, "But I think he's not. I saw Harry when he was running to find you and heard Krum was by himself with Mr. Crouch. Harry told me Mr. Crouch wasn't…well, and I didn't want Krum to be alone with him. I guess I came too late."

"Professor Moody, see if you can find Mr. Crouch in the forest. He couldn't have gotten far. Hagrid, please take Harry and Alex back to their common rooms right away. Professor Snape and I will take care of Mr. Krum."

Alex nodded and left with Harry and Hagrid. Hagrid was upset with Harry for going off alone with Krum.

"I thought yeh had more sense than that, Harry," he was saying as they reached the common room, "He's competin' against yeh for Merlin's sake! He could've taken care of yeh in the blink of an eye."

Alex thanked Hagrid and told the fat lady the password since it was obvious Harry was trying to keep himself from getting angry at his large friend. The portrait hole opened and they entered the common room. Hermione and Ron were no where to be seen so Alex and Harry said good-night and went to their rooms.

…...

Alex woke up one Friday and got ready for school. As she went to the Great Hall, she found girls giggling and boys looking fully embarrassed. When she sat down next to Hermione, she was fully confused.

"Did I miss something today?" she asked, looking around, "Why is everyone acting so weird?"

"Today's February fourteenth…Valentine's Day…you know, when people exchange little pink cards that say "I love you" on them?" Hermione said, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth at Alex's confusion and then realization.

"There wasn't any of this last year," said Alex, jerking her head at a group of Ravenclaw girls who went into a fit of giggles when a Durmstrang boy passed.

"That's because there weren't two other schools full of boys and girls or a dance before," said Hermione, "Now come on, it's still part of the school week. We should be going to class now!"

And so the day went by, full of stupid giggling girls and red faced boys. Quite a few of those boys came up to Alex and handed her valentines, which she proceeded to use to fuel her Potion's fire when Snape wasn't looking. Hermione, however, saw it and frowned.

"I'll bet you those boys worked all night on those," she hissed as Alex put another lacy pink one in, "Imagine how horrible they'd feel if they found out what you did with them!"

"Yes, but they won't find out, will they?" Alex asked, giving Hermione a look. "And besides," she added when Hermione sighed, "I hate pink. Whoever thinks I do obviously doesn't know me well enough to say "I love you" in a card."

That evening, Alex was pulling out her homework books when a piece of folded parchment fell out. She picked it up and found her name written in red, fancy lettering. Curiously, she opened the paper and saw a poem inside.

_Your beauty is like the sun,_

_Never dying, never ending._

_Your smile is like the moon,_

_Mysterious, but wonderful._

_Your eyes are like the stars,_

_Twinkling and bright._

_Happy Valentine's Day Alex! I hope you aren't annoyed about getting another valentine, but at least it's not pink! Please excuse this poor excuse for a poem; it really doesn't do you justice. You truly are the most wonderful girl in all of Hogwarts and I wish you were mine._

_Love always,_

_Your Secret Admirer_

Alex re-read the note and couldn't help smiling. She remembered getting a note like this during the Christmas holidays, but could it really be the same person?

"What's that, Alex?" Ron asked, seeing the parchment she was holding.

"Just another valentine," she said, putting it in her pocket.

"Who's this one from?" asked Hermione curiously.

"It doesn't say," admitted Alex with a shrug. The others nodded and didn't press the matter.

The four Gryffindors finished their homework and the girls went up to their dormitory. When they entered, however, they gasped.

All on Alex's bed were bright red petals and, on her bedside table, a single red rose sat in water. There was a note beside the vase and Alex picked it up to read it.

_You really thought I would just give you a valentine and that would be it? This rose will never wilt as long as I am loving you. I hope to Merlin it never wilts. You can look at it everyday and know that I am always thinking of you. Enjoy!_

_Love always,_

_Your Secret Admirer_

"Wow," breathed Alex as she looked at the rose. She touched it and knew it was real.

"That is so romantic!" said Hermione with a laugh, "A little cheesy sure, but it's so sweet!"

"How did they get the rose up here?" asked Alex, "They'd have to be a Gryffindor girl to do that and, frankly, I'm a little creeped out by that."

"Anyone could bribe one of the girls to do this for you," said Hermione, still grinning, "All you have to do is give them a couple Sickles that they can go buy make-up with."

Alex turned back to the rose and smiled. It was so sweet for someone to do that, but who at Hogwarts would go to such lengths to do that? Alex pushed those thoughts from her mind and got ready for bed. As she brushed the petals off her bed and into a little jar, she couldn't help thinking gleefully that there was someone at Hogwarts who really cared about her.

_Author's Note: I'm back everyone! I know you all were looking forward to Alex's plan and, although not very grand, hopefully you weren't too disappointed. I would like to apologize for taking so long to update. I had to get a new laptop for college since my old one can't hold a charge. So now I'm a Mac! They had to transfer the data from my old computer onto this new one so I didn't have my documents to update with. But I'm back now and am looking forward to trying to do some more regular updating. Yay!_

_Okay, so who saw the Harry Potter movie? Now how many of you who saw it cried? How many of those who cried did so within the first five minutes of the film? Yep, I did too. If you did see it, I am more than willing to talk about it and bond over our shared obsession with The Boy Who Lived. I won't tell you my favorite part (you'll have to either review or PM me to find out) because I don't want to ruin it for those who may not have seen it, but I will tell you that it was absolute perfection. Even if they did deviate from the book a bit, I still loved it with every fiber of my being. And even though all the posters say that "It All Ends", we Potter fans know that it will never end. We will never let that happen because it means so much to us and has become such an important part of our lives. Okay, I'm done my rant now. ;)_

Are you calling me crazy?: _Haha, I enjoyed the part with Draco. I just love writing the two of them together; it's way too much fun! I'm glad that you liked the part with Sirius. I feel bad for them as well and I don't know how Harry did it all by himself in the original series. At least he has Alex in this universe. I actually did worry when I didn't see your usual signature so thank you for putting it in another review! And, to quote a character that will appear in the next book, "Don't worry, you're just as sane as I am." Thanks for reviewing! :D_

_Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and alerted this story. My fans and followers mean everything to me and you always inspire me, whether you know it or not. So keep doing what you're doing and maybe even review if you haven't before. I love hearing from you guys so don't be shy!_


	24. Chapter 22 The Third Task

_Author's Note: If you recognize it from J.K Rowling's series, I have no ownership of it._

Chapter 22 The Third Task

The months passed by in a blur and soon, the Gryffindor common room was full of notes, textbooks, and study groups. One April evening, the night before the exam, Alex was in the dungeons studying for her Arithmancy exam with Draco. They had told their friends that they had to still do their extra Potions even during the week before exams. Because of the Tri-Wizard tournament, exams had been pushed back into April instead of May.

Alex was working very hard at her Arithmancy and her effort showed. Before, when she saw an empty number chart, she would stare at it for a few minutes and guess answers. Now, she would smile happily as she finished it in no time at all.

"Excellent, Alex!" Draco said as he checked her work, "You'll do fine. All you need to do is relax and concentrate. You know everything and I know you'll blow this away."

Alex smiled shyly and said good-night, wanting to get a good rest for the exams.

…...

The next day, Alex had the Arithmancy, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration written exams. When Alex came out of her Arithmancy exam, which was the last one that day, she let out a sigh of relief and grinned.

"You look happy," said Hermione, raising her eyebrows, "What's up? Usually after an Arithmancy test, you look like you're going to dunk your head in the toilet."

"I think I aced it!" Alex said as she skipped down the hall, "I knew everything on that test!"

"Well, I hope it's like that for the rest of them." Hermione looked at Alex questioningly but seemed to give up after a while.

The rest of the exams went well. The only one Alex wasn't sure of was the History of Magic exam. Then again, no one ever knew how well they did on that one, except Hermione who studied the notes word for word. After the last exam, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Alex were sitting under a tree, enjoying the warm weather.

"Now that the exams are finished," said Alex as she looked in her bag for her photo album she wanted to show Harry, "We can concentrate on the final task."

"Oh great!" groaned Harry sarcastically, "I can't wait to go into a maze and face imminent doom!"

Hermione and Ron laughed but Alex was busy looking at a piece of parchment she found in one of the outside pockets of her bag. It was another note from her secret admirer.

_The exams are finished,_

_The stress is too,_

_Now the Tri-Wizard Tournament,_

_Is all that is left to do._

_I hope you did well,_

_But I know this is true._

_Because you are the smartest witch,_

_On this Earth that is blue._

_Congratulations on surviving your exams. I know I almost didn't make it! Hopefully this poem is better than the last one. Practice makes perfect! How do you like the rose I gave you? Just write your answer on a piece of parchment and put it on the outermost pocket of you bag. I'll be sure to get it. And please don't go checking your bag after every period. Not only does that ruin the fun of having a secret admirer, but I could have anybody getting the letter from you. Enjoy the wonderful weather!_

_Love always,_

_Your Secret Admirer_

"Alex?"

Her head shot up and she saw her friends watching her with suppressed grins.

"What?" she asked, frowning, "What's so funny?"

"You!" said Harry with a laugh, "You're falling in love with a guy made of paper! You don't even know who this boy is and you get this glazed eye look every time you read something by him."

"I'm not falling in love," said Alex with a bark of laughter so much like her father's, "I think what he says is sweet, but I'm not in love."

"Whatever you say, Alex," said Ron as he sniggered.

"All right boys, stop being so annoying," said Hermione as she shook her head and smiled, "I think we should start looking up spells that Harry ought to know for the task."

"I can help with that!" said Alex, "Snape's been teaching me things that can come in handy when you're facing the unknown."

For the next few weeks, Harry was drilled by his friends with spells for everything from Stunning to a Bubble-head Charm. Alex made sure Harry knew the Four Point spell, which turned your wand into a compass.

"After all," she said with an encouraging smile, "The point of a maze is to make you lose all sense of direction. This way, that won't happen."

When not helping Harry, Alex spent time leafing through old photos and exchanging letters with her secret admirer. True to her word, Alex never opened the front pocket until she knew she would be in the common room the rest of the evening. So far, she had learned he was definitely a boy (she had never let go of the suspicion a Gryffindor girl had liked her until she asked), he went to Hogwarts so he would still be there after the other schools left, and she saw him everyday. The last hint didn't help because since he went to Hogwarts, she would obviously see him at least once a day at the Great Hall during dinner.

Once in a while, she received a letter from her father asking how things were. She wanted to tell him about the secret admirer but her father's own words went through her mind when she thought of telling him, "Stay close to your friends. Don't let anyone who you wouldn't trust with your life near you without someone else being there". She was pretty sure talking with a person she didn't even know the name of counted as trusting them without having a friend you know well around. So she would leave out the secret admirer parts in her letter and fill it instead with stories of helping Harry prepare for the tournament.

Finally, it was the day of the final task. The task itself did not start until dusk so that it would be harder for the champions to find their way. When Harry heard this, he got angry.

"Oh wonderful, simply splendid!" he half-shouted in the common room, causing silence to fall, "It's not bad enough we're going into a maze to face unknown challenges, but we have to do it at night too!"

"Please Harry," said Alex, putting a hand on his shoulder and pushing him down into a seat, "You don't need to worry about that. Just remember what we taught you and I'm sure you'll win. You have more heart than anyone else in this challenge and you also have a better reason to win: to show everyone that you were chosen not because of your name, but because of your bravery."

So when the sun began to set, the students of Hogwarts, Beauxbaton, and Durmstrang filed into the Quidditch stadium to watch the final task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Ron, Hermione, and Alex found great seats in the middle of the stands. This way, they weren't too close but not so far up that everyone looked like ants. Alex closed her eyes and searched for Harry. He and the other champions were in the locker rooms waiting to enter.

"I'll be able to see Harry," she told Hermione and Ron, opening her eyes, "I think it has something to do with that weird connection we have. So I'll let you know how he's doing in the maze, okay?"

They nodded and the whole stadium erupted into cheers. The champions had arrived out onto the part of the field not covered with ten feet of bushes. Dumbledore stood on a platform and magically magnified his voice for all to hear.

"Good-evening students, teachers, and family members!" Dumbledore's voice boomed, making the entire stadium silent, "Welcome to the third and final task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. The task our four champions have is to travel through the maze to the very center where they will find the Tri-Wizard Cup. When they grab the cup, they will be transported back here to receive their prize money and honor.

"The maze is full of magical obstacles," continued Dumbledore seriously, "And I advise the champions to be wary. The maze not only changes course, but those who enter." He allowed the silence to hang in the air for a few seconds before saying, "Now then, since Mr. Diggory and Mr. Potter are tied for first, they have the advantage of entering first."

Harry and Cedric each stood at one of the four entrances to the maze. Harry turned to Cedric and nodded, the older boy returning it.

"On the count of three, you may enter. One…two…THREE!"

Cedric ran into the maze quickly while Harry went tentatively. He turned back and then continued on his way. Alex closed her eyes and found herself walking beside Harry through the maze, although he did not see her. At least she could move her arms and legs now and she wasn't floating along next to him.

"What's happening?" the distant voice of Ron asked urgently.

"He's walking," said Alex with a roll of her eyes, "I'll let you know if anything exciting happens."

Harry kept walking, using the Four Points charm Alex taught him to keep him heading north, to the center of the maze. He had just made a right when he stopped short, Alex running right through him. She shivered and looked up, gasping in alarm. A hooded dementor was gliding toward Harry, its breath coming out in rasps and its scaly hand outstretched.

"Dementor at twelve o' clock!" said Alex aloud.

"What do you mean?" said Hermione. She sounded so far, but Alex could tell her voice was higher than normal. "They really wouldn't put a dementor in there, would they?"

Alex watched as Harry tried to produce his stag patronus, but it didn't work. Then Alex noticed the dementor's feet appeared out of the cloak. Dementors didn't have feet though, Alex remembered Professor Lupin telling them that there was nothing under their cloaks but darkness.

"It's not real," Alex said, "It's a boggart! Harry's boggart was a dementor, remember?"

Harry seemed to realize this too because he cried, "Riddikulus!" The boggart tripped over it's now oversized feet and vanished with a loud BANG! Alex followed Harry as he went through the maze, telling Ron and Hermione what was happening. Whenever they spoke back, however, their voices kept getting more distant as she traveled closer to the center of the maze.

Harry had just gotten out of an upside down room when he heard something behind him. Spinning around with his wand raised, he looked around. Nothing was there but emptiness. Alex listened too but heard nothing. They were about to continue walking when there was a loud scream, a girl's scream.

"Fleur," said Harry and he dashed towards the noise, Alex at his heels shouting at him.

"Harry, are you nuts? You're almost there!"

But, like before, Harry couldn't hear her. They didn't need to travel far though for in just a few minutes, they found Fleur unconscious on the ground. Harry looked around and sent up red sparks, a sign that someone was in danger. Quickly, he ran the way he had come and continued his walking. Alex could tell Harry was frightened by what he had seen and wished she could comfort him. They turned a corner and saw a great creature before them. It had the face of a woman but the body of a lion. It was a giant sphinx.

…...

"Alex? Come on Alex, snap out of it!" Hermione said, shaking her friend who was facing the maze with her eyes shut.

"Hermione, she can't hear us," said Ron, putting a hand on her shoulder, "Look, we need to get Dumbledore over here."

"What's wrong?"

They turned and saw Draco Malfoy coming down the row towards them. He saw Alex's blank expression and tried to go to her, but was blocked by Ron.

"Piss off Malfoy!" he snapped, "Don't you have some celebrating to do or something?"

"Is she okay?" Draco asked, looking over Ron's shoulder at Alex's stiff-sitting body.

"Oh yeah, bloody fantastic," said Ron sarcastically, "Because everyone gets all stiff and refuses to move when their friend is in the middle of a huge maze, instead of cheering them on!"

"I'll get Dumbledore," said Draco and went down the stairs to the field.

Ron watched with suspicion as the Slytherin talked quietly to Dumbledore and brought him along with McGonagall, Snape, and Moody over to where Ron and Hermione were sitting. People were turning around and straining their heads to see what was happening, but Dumbledore cast a charm around them so that the people wouldn't see what they were doing.

"Tell me what happened," the Headmaster asked as he began murmuring spells that didn't seem to make any difference to Alex.

"We don't know," said Ron, "She was fine before and we asked her what was going on in the maze and she wouldn't answer."

"How would she know what is happening in the maze?" Snape asked with a frown.

"S-She said th-that," Hermione stuttered, tears spilling down her face, "She told us th-that she could see what happened to Harry during the tasks because of a connection between them. She did it before for the second task, she said. We…We thought it was fine because Harry can't hear her or even see her, so it's not like she was helping him. Please Professor Dumbledore, is she okay?"

"She will be fine, Miss Granger," said Dumbledore with a nod, "We must wait until Harry leaves the maze and is out of any danger before Alex can come back."

"We should move her, Headmaster," said McGonagall, looking around at the students who were whispering amongst themselves, obviously talking about what little they had seen.

"A good idea, Minerva. Alastor, will you keep her in your office until she awakens?"

"Yes sir, but you also asked me to be here in case the champions call for help in the maze. One has already done so and…"

"Alex will be safe without you being there," said Dumbledore as he and McGonagall lifted Alex up and Moody put her over his shoulder, "We don't want the students to see her and become frightened."

Professor Moody nodded and left, creating an invisibility charm on himself and Alex as he went. The other professors returned to the field and left Draco, who had been there the entire time, with Ron and Hermione. The two latter turned and stared icily at the former. Draco took this as his cue to leave but as he was, Ron opened his mouth.

"Why did you do that?" he snapped.

"Do what?"

"Bring the professors over here!" said Ron angrily, "That would be a nice thing to do!"

"So you're mad at me…for doing something nice?" Draco asked with a frown, "Isn't that kind of oxymoronic?"

"You never do anything unless you have something to gain by it," Hermione said furiously, "So out with it, what is Alex doing for you that you would something kind for her? Is she doing all the potions work and you're taking the credit?"

"No, not at all," said Draco calmly, "We split the work evenly. Look, whether you like it or not, Alex and I can get along all right. She may or may not have told you, I don't know, but we have a good time down in the dungeons once in a while."

"What do you mean-?"

"I mean," Draco interrupted, getting a little impatient, "We can talk to each other without blowing the other's brains out. Get your mind out of the gutter, Granger." He let out a deep breath and continued in a calmer tone, "Well, I better go back to my seat. People may start to think that I actually enjoy talking to you two."

He said this with a small smile and left, leaving Ron and Hermione very confused while they worried for their two friends.

…...

"Nice going, Harry!" said Alex as they continued through the maze, "Spider; Ron would have had a heart attack if he had heard!"

They had just figured out the sphinx's riddle and were walking through the labyrinth's paths. During the riddle, Alex had tried to ask Hermione for her thoughts, but she never answered. Alex was nervous about that but eventually put it aside and tried to focus on what Harry was doing. He had stopped and was listening. Then Alex heard it too, someone was shouting and there were spells being cast.

Harry raced towards the noise and found Cedric and Krum dueling. Krum's eyes were glazed over and he was attacking Cedric with so many curses, it was all Cedric could do to keep them away. Harry pulled out his wand and stunned Krum, whose attention had been fully on this opponent that he hadn't seen Harry at all. Cedric ran at Krum to finish him off, but Harry intervened.

"Cedric, he's not himself!" Harry shouted, holding the older boy back with surprising strength, "Look at his eyes!"

"He tried to kill me!" Cedric roared, "He put the Cruciartus Curse on me!"

Harry pushed Cedric away, bound Krum with cords that sprang from his wand, and sent up red sparks.

"They'll take him out soon," said Harry quietly, "Come on, we don't want to be here when they come."

They ran off and when they came to a fork in the path, Cedric went right but Harry waited until the Hufflepuff was gone and pulled out his wand. He found north and went to the left, Alex following though invisible to him. Nothing else met them on their journey except some ravens who tried to peck Harry to death. He eventually made his wand emit the sound of a shotgun and they all took off like bandits. Alex was beginning to wonder how long it would be when Harry stopped dead.

Ahead of them was a shinning gold cup in the center of an open area. And, just a few feet ahead of them coming out of a different path, was Cedric. He saw Harry, turned and saw the cup, looked back at Harry, and sprinted towards the cup. Harry tore after him, but Alex saw this as a lost cause. Cedric was taller and had a head start; he was bound to get there first. Then, she saw a large black figure appear from a corner and screamed in shock.

"Cedric! Look out behind you!" Harry yelled.

Cedric spun around and saw a gigantic, black, hairy spider descending upon him.

_Author's Note: Duh duh DUH! Haha, sorry I couldn't resist! ;) So here is the final task for all my totally awesome readers. What did you think? Like, dislike, not really sure? The next chapter will be when Harry goes to the graveyard and I promise it will be epic. I've been working hard to make it as amazing as I can and can't wait to let you all read it!_

Are you calling me crazy?: _Oh don't you worry, Nick will pay for what he did. Hehe! ;) Wow, you're right about Levina's uncle! That is one crazy coincidence and totally not planned, I promise. As to the secret admirer, you'll just have to wait and see... ;D_

_To everyone who reviewed, keep them coming! I love knowing what you like and want to see more of in my series. To those who favorited and put me on alert, I'm so glad that you enjoy my stories enough to want to follow them. If anyone who is reading this hasn't reviewed before, I'd love to hear from you! Every reader is important to me. Thank you all for your support! :D_


	25. Chapter 23 The Rebirth

_Author's Note: So I got an email from Ms. Rowling (we're pretty tight ya know) and she told me to tell you all that I own none of this and never will. Oh, but I am allowed to own Alex since I made her up._

Chapter 23 The Rebirth

Cedric dove out of the way just in time to avoid the spider's long, menacing pinchers. He and Harry began shooting spells at the spider but they all bounced off its hard exoskeleton. Unable to do anything, Alex watched nervously as the two champions fought the giant arachnid. Then, Harry shouted for him and Cedric to try and hit its underbelly. They shouted a spell together and it hit the spider in the soft stomach area. The gigantic beast froze and fell on its back, legs up in the air. Panting, Harry turned to Cedric.

"Go on," he gasped, wiping the mixture of blood, dirt, and sweat from his brow, "You were here first, take the Cup."

Cedric looked at the gleaming trophy and at Harry, shaking his head.

"No, you saw it first, you take it."

"Look, just pick up the trophy already," said Harry impatiently, "Either way it's going to Hogwarts. You're the true champion anyway!"

"We'll take it together," said Cedric sternly, "We'll say we arrived at the exact same time, even though you were here first. That way, both Houses will have the bragging rights."

He gave Harry a smile and reached for the Cup, stopping just inches from it, Harry doing the same. Suddenly, Alex felt a sense of dread and wished neither would take the award.

"On three then?" Cedric asked and Harry nodded. They counted together.

"One…Two…THREE!"

And Alex watched as they each took a handle and felt as though she were being squeezed into a small tube. The wind roared in her ears as she was tossed around. Her eyes formed reflex tears from the air and then she was thrown onto a grassy surface. The breath was knocked out of her as she lay there for a moment, gasping for air. Shaking horribly with fear, she finally sat up and looked around.

It was a graveyard with those cold, marble headstones where the names of the long gone were chiseled with care. Angels of death looked down over those six feet under with teary eyes and open mouths, as if they were crying out with the sadness within themselves. Overgrown weeds and vines crept up around the graves of those forgotten by their families and crypts for the wealthy glowed ominously in the pale moonlight.

Over on the other side of a crypt were Harry and Cedric, looking just as confused and frightened as Alex felt. Was this another part of the task? No, something in Alex told her this was not planned by Dumbledore.

"It was a portkey," said Harry, looking for the Tri-Wizard Cup amongst the weeds. When they landed in the graveyard, it seemed that the Cup was thrown from their hands. Alex walked over and began trying to look for the Cup as well. "Whoever got to it first would be brought here."

"But where's here?" Cedric asked, looking at the gravestones, "I don't know any of these people."

A door creaked open, making everyone jump. In the shadow of the moon, Alex could see a figure with a balding head holding a bundle of rags. As the figure neared, however, Alex let out a shout of anger. It was Wormtail, otherwise known as Peter Pettigrew. This was the man who had framed her father and was responsible for the thirteen years he had spent in Azkaban, away and unknown to her.

It seemed no one could see her here as well. Wormtail smiled evilly at Harry and then turned to Cedric, completely missing Alex who was standing between them.

"Kill the spare," the bundle said in a high, cold voice that Alex knew only too well. Lord Voldemort was there in front of her.

Wormtail pulled out his wand and there was a flash of green light. Alex screamed as a roaring noise filled her ears and she saw Cedric Diggory lying motionless on the grass. Tears filled her eyes as she turned angrily to Wormtail and Voldemort. Suddenly, it was as though someone had stuck a scorching knife into the scar on her right shoulder. The pain brought her to her knees and blurred her vision as she tried unsuccessfully to not cry out from the pain. From what she could make out, Harry was being tied to a gravestone by Wormtail. Wormtail began chanting something that Alex could barely hear through her pain as he worked over a steaming cauldron.

"The bone of the father unwillingly taken."

Wormtail pointed his wand at the grave and a single bone rose out of the ground and into the cauldron. The smoke turned a horrid black as he went to Harry and said, "The blood of the sacrifice forcibly taken".

Wormtail pulled out a long knife and made a cut on Harry's arm. He brought the knife to the cauldron and tapped it, letting a few drops enter the potion. It turned blood red and Alex felt woozy.

Then he pulled out a vial and said, "The blood of the other unknowingly given," He uncorked the vile, took out a bloody rag and added this into the potion. He then put the knife to his own wrist, saying in a shaky voice, "The blood of the servant willingly given".

Alex turned away just in time and heard something splash into the cauldron. She retched horribly as tears streamed down her face, pain searing in her scar. There was nothing she could do. Ron and Hermione's voices had vanished altogether a long time ago and no one here could see her, so running towards the village down the hill was out. She was forced to watch the return of the most evil and dark wizard of all time and there was nothing she could do about it.

Looking up, she saw Wormtail placing the bundle into the cauldron and quickly using the rags to bind his stump that was once a human hand. The smoke was now emerald green as it bubbled loudly. Alex stumbled shakily over to where Harry was bound and watching with horror, hoping to somehow be of comfort, letting him know she was here as well even if he couldn't see or hear her. But what came next drove all thoughts of comforting Harry out of her mind.

A tall pale figure rose out of the cauldron and turned his head. His face was like a snake's but his eyes, oh his eyes! They were the color of all the blood he had shed during his reign of terror and they were looking coldly at where Harry and Alex were. Her scar was burning so bad that she had to sit on the gravestone next to Harry so as not to pass out with the pain. Alex was shaking even more than ever, but she looked back into those eyes defiantly, even if her own eyes were full of tears. This man, this monster, had killed her mother and a poor defenseless Muggle and had laughed while doing so! She remembered well the high laughter she had heard when the dementors were near her and it filled her heart with anger and pure hatred like she had never felt before.

"My robe, Wormtail," Voldemort said and his servant put it on, using his only hand.

Voldemort stepped out of the cauldron and held out his hand, the long white fingers beckoning his servant forward. Wormtail gave him his wand and he caressed it like a mother does to her baby's head to help it sleep. It made Alex sick as she watched him walk around the graveyard, occasionally waving his wand and forcing spiders to cry in pain or setting the vines on a crypt into flames. He then turned to Wormtail once more.

"Give me your arm, Wormtail."

"My Lord, thank you," he said, holding out his stump and Alex felt her knees weaken.

"No, no! You're other arm!" Voldemort snapped.

"But, my Lord, you promised that-"

"Yes, I did," Lord Voldemort said with what could technically be called a smile, but Alex thought it looked too evil to be one, "But I must first call my followers."

Reluctantly, Wormtail held out his normal arm and Alex saw a horrible looking tattoo of the Dark Mark on the under part of his forearm. Voldemort pressed his wand to the tattoo and it grew darker in color. Wormtail looked as though he were trying not to shout with pain. Finally, Voldemort removed his wand.

"You have done well, Wormtail. And, being a good master, I will reward you for your hard-work."

If Alex wasn't so terrified, she would have snorted at his comment of being a "good master". Wormtail looked at where his stump had been and gasped. His new hand was made of silver and, when he picked up a large rock, it turned to dust when he crushed it.

"Thank you, Master!" he said happily.

"Where are my Death Eaters?" Voldemort said with, Alex was content to notice, a tone of impatience, "Before I left, they would come within seconds of my call."

He began pacing the yard, getting more aggravated with each step. Suddenly, there were a serious of pops and figures dressed in black. There were masks over their faces and Alex realized she had seen these costumes before. These were the Death Eaters, maybe even the same ones who were at the Quidditch World Cup.

"My Lord," one man said and Alex instantly recognized the voice as Lucius Malfoy's, "You have returned at last!"

"You sound surprised, Lucius," Voldemort said, "Did you not believe I would return? Did any of you?"

There were protests but Voldemort held out a hand and there was silence. Voldemort began his pacing and saw Cedric's body lying on the grass. He walked over and touched Cedric's face with his foot.

"Get the bloody hell away from him, you bastard!" Alex snarled and, to her shock and horror, Voldemort looked straight at her and smiled.

"Of course," he said softly to himself, "I should have known you would have been at his side. Even when you were a baby, you were there with him."

"You…You can see me?" Alex asked, trying not to sound as terrified as she was.

"Yes, but only because some of your own blood flows in my veins, I thank you for that. My servant at Hogwarts was successful in procuring your blood without you suspecting a thing. No, no one else can see you but me. You have nothing to fear from me though, I cannot hurt you now. You are only here like a spirit, your body is still at Hogwarts."

"My Lord?" Mr. Malfoy asked.

"We have the honor of having two guests with us this evening," Voldemort said, turning to his followers, "But, before I introduce them, where are the others? We are missing quite a few followers."

Alex saw there were gaps in the circle. As the Death Eaters were accounted for, Alex looked at Harry and put a hand on his arm. Her hand went through his arm and she sighed shakily. How was she to help Harry if she couldn't touch anything without her hand going through it?

"Now then," Voldemort said, "You see that the great Mr. Harry Potter has joined us for our little gathering, but you may not see our second guest. I shall explain how Miss Ratcliff was able to join us this evening."

"Alex?" Harry started and looked around. She wished she could call out to him and tell him she was fine, that Voldemort couldn't hurt her here and she was safe...for now.

"You see," continued Voldemort, "There were two families that night I went to Godric's Hollow, the Potter's and the Ratcliff's. I shall not go into details for it is quite embarrassing for me to relate. See, I forgot that silly old magic of love. It was the love of Harry and Alex's mothers that allowed my curse to backfire on me. For all those years, I could not touch them, but now I can."

He walked over to Harry and put his forefinger on Harry's forehead. Alex let out a scream of pain and clutched her arm as it felt like someone had ripped her arm open from her scar. It was so intense that words couldn't even describe it. It was ten times worse than a white-hot poker to unprotected skin, twenty times worse than putting a finger to a burning stove, and fifty times worse than dumping boiling water onto exposed skin.

Even when Voldemort removed his finger, Alex's entire arm still throbbed painfully. She heard laughter and saw the Death Eaters watching Harry's limp form.

"Harry!" Alex shouted and rose to her feet, going to him. Seeing that he was still breathing and blinking back reflex tears, she let out a breath and sat back on the gravestone.

"Because both of them were able to fight off my curse," Voldemort was saying, a horrible smile on his face, "A connection was made between them. They know what the other is thinking, where they are, and especially when the other is in danger. They are closer than the closest twins because of their connection. And, although you can't see or hear her, Alex Ratcliff is here now, watching what we are doing."

"How can we make sure she won't tell Dumbledore, my Lord?" Mr. Malfoy asked.

"My most faithful servant will take care of her. Once Harry is gone, Alex will be sent back to her body where he is waiting to finish her."

Alex eyes went wide. A Death Eater at Hogwarts? But who would be able to get past Dumbledore? And yet, in her heart, she knew who it had to be. Snape used to be a Death Eater and that would explain why he wasn't here now. He was waiting until she came back to kill her. It was as her father told her, "Once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater".

Voldemort whispered something to Wormtail and he went to Harry. He untied Harry, who fell to his knees. Wormtail threw Harry's wand at his feet and backed away.

"Get up, Harry Potter," Voldemort said, his cold voice full of mirthless laughter, "We shall have a Wizard's Duel. You do know how to have a Wizard's Duel, am I right?"

Harry picked up his wand and faced Voldemort. Alex watched, unable to do a thing, as her closest and one of her best friends was going to fight to his death. All she could do was watch and pray.

"Good, now we bow," said Voldemort but Harry didn't move. Suddenly, he let out a cry of pain and bowed.

"On the count of three, we will begin," Voldemort said, "One…two…three!"

Harry dove as a jet of green light barely missed his head. But then he was hit and he fell to the ground, shouting out in pain. It was the Cruciartus Curse. Voldemort lifted his wand up and Harry struggled to his feet. As jets of light missed him, he ran behind a headstone, gasping for breath.

"Come out, come out, Harry Potter!" called Voldemort, "Come out and meet death! If you come out now, I shall make it swift and painless."

Alex crawled over to Harry and put her hand just above his shoulder.

"Harry," she whispered, tears streaming down her face, "Is this how you want to die, hiding behind a gravestone? Sure, no one wants to die this way, but…but at least die fighting, die being the Gryffindor I know you are."

As though he had heard her, Harry nodded and stood up, facing Voldemort. They both raised their wands at the same time and shouted their spells together.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Avada Kedavera!"

The beams of light hit each other and connected the two wands together, their owners unable to move their wands. A little ball of light was moving towards Harry's wand tip but Harry seemed to be concentrating. Then the ball of light moved towards Voldemort's wand. When it touched, both were surrounded by a shining cage of white light. Alex gasped in awe and Mr. Malfoy moved towards the light but Voldemort shouted for him to stay back.

"The boy is mine!" he shrieked.

Suddenly, Cedric Diggory came out of the wand, pure white and glowing.

"Harry, take my body back to my family, will you?" he asked and Harry nodded. Cedric then turned to Alex and said, "Harry, you're lucky to have such wonderful friends. Never forget that."

Then another white figure appeared out of Voldemort's wand. It was an old man with a walking stick.

"He said he was going to kill a boy named Harry Potter and a girl named Alex Ratcliff," the man said in a distant voice, "Someone needs to tell the police, he's a psychopath!"

Another figure appeared out of the wand. This time, it was a woman in her late thirties.

"I didn't mean to tell him!" she said, her voice distant like the old man's, "He used the Imperius Curse on me! I was just trying to enjoy my holiday!"

Then, two figures came out together and Alex gasped. Her grandparents were there before her, glowing white. They looked at Alex and smiled sadly.

"A man came into our house while you were in school and threatened to kill us if we didn't tell them where you were. We refused and here we are," her grandmother said, "We didn't tell you the truth about your mother's death because we were frightened of what you were. We were frightened of our own daughters when they were alive and then we were the same with you."

"I hope you can forgive us, Alex," her grandfather said, "Know that we are so proud of you and are sorry for not realizing how wonderful you truly were, normal or not."

Alex nodded and watched as two more figures appeared. It was her and Harry's mother. Alex's mother looked at Harry, out to where her daughter was, and smiled.

"Take care of this one here," Alana told her daughter, nodding to Harry, "He seems to be a trouble-maker like his father."

Harry was staring at his mother so he didn't see a skinny man with messy black hair and glasses appear out of the wand followed by the man Alex had thought was her father. David Ratcliff found Alex and smiled.

"You look just like your mother, Alex," he said, smiling at Alana, "But you have your father's eyes."

Alex looked at her mother, who smiled sadly and said, "Tell Sirius I say hello, will you darling? And to keep up the good work, I'm so proud of you both."

Alex nodded, a small sob escaping her and she covered her mouth to stop her lip from trembling.

"Alex," said Mr. Potter and she turned to an older version of Harry, "When Harry breaks the connection, be sure you are near him when he takes the cup. Thank you for being there for our son."

She nodded and turned to her mother. Alana was looking at her daughter with such pride and Alex knew she would never let her, or David, down as long as she lived.

"Go on, sweetie," Mrs. Potter was saying to Harry, nodding encouragingly, "Remember, even if you can't see us, we're here always."

Harry took a deep breath and pulled his wand up. All the figures flew towards Voldemort, blocking his vision.

_Author's Note: So...do you approve? Was it worth waiting for? I know I left you all with a major cliff hanger and I'm dying to know what you thought of this chapter! It's one of my personal favorites in this story so I'd love to hear what you thought of it, even if you hated it. Although just be sure to tell me why you liked it or hated it. :)_

Are you calling me crazy?: _I'm glad you liked the task! I guess you could call it that, maybe I could come up with a clever name for it. Hmm, I must ponder this...once I'm done this reply of course! ;) Yeah, I liked having Draco talk with Ron and Hermione. It doesn't happen very often, in fact I'm pretty sure this is the only time they have a civil conversation together. I'm glad you appreciated my dramatic-ness of the last A/N. Haha! I do feel very special about your long review and the fact that you've stuck with this story for so long. I am very appreciative of that so thank you so very much. :D_

_As I always do, I must thank my reviewers, those who put me in their favorites, and those who put me on alert. It's always so amazing to me that I get new fans every time I post a new chapter, so thank you so very much. Don't forget to review; the review button will not bite, I promise! :D_


	26. Chapter 24 Everything's Going to Change

_Author's Note: Again, still own nothing except Alex and the stuff you don't recognize!_

Chapter 24 Everything's Going to Change Now, Isn't It?

"GET HIM!" roared Voldemort.

But Harry was too quick. He grabbed Cedric's limp arm, shouted, "_ACCIO!_" and the Cup flew into his hands, Alex barely reaching him in time.

It was like being squeezed into a too small compartment. The wind wiped around her until she landed on a hard surface. Groaning, she sat up and looked around at the strange scene before her. She saw someone sitting up against one side of a dark room and herself lying against the other wall. Alex saw that her other self was stiff and had her eyes closed.

_What the bloody hell...?_ Alex thought as she walked over to herself, reached out, and touched her hand.

It was like waking from a bad dream. Alex started and found herself sitting against a wall, gasping for air. She looked around and didn't see her other self. Not having time to dwell on how weird the entire thing was, she quickly reached for her wand but found it wasn't there. Whoever had taken her, whoever was watching over her now, had disarmed her. Instinctively, Alex held out her hand without saying a word and a ball of flames leapt up, illuminating her area of the darkened room.

"If you're going to kill me," she said angrily, "Then you're going to have to put up one hell of a fight. I don't need a wand to take you down."

"I'm not here to kill you," the figure said as they raised their head and arms, showing Alex that they had no wand as well.

Alex held her hand higher so she could see who it was. What she saw was Mad-Eye Moody, but something was wrong with him. He had chunks of hair missing from his head, his large blue eye was missing as well, leaving a gaping hole in his head, and he only had one leg.

"Professor Moody?" Alex asked, unsure if she was right.

"Well, I don't think "Professor" is the right term, seeing as I've never taught you," Moody said, stretching his legs out and Alex heard joints creaking.

"Sorry?" asked Alex, backing away now up against the wall.

"Well, you've been taught by me, but not "_me_" me, if you get what I'm saying."

"No, not in the slightest."

"There's an impostor at Hogwarts," Moody said, "And he's been using me to get to the students, particularly Harry Potter and Alex Ratcliff. Do you know them?"

"Harry's my friend and I'm Alex," she said carefully.

"Alex Ratcliff? Is that really you? Merlin's beard, he's got you!" Moody said in alarm, "Listen, keep quiet and maybe he won't know you're awake yet. And put that fire out for the love of Merlin!"

Alex did as she was told and they sat in silence. She had so many questions but knew Moody wouldn't want her to talk. And some of the questions she had she wasn't even sure Moody could answer. Why was she able to be with Harry during times of danger? How did Voldemort get her blood without her noticing? And how in Merlin's name did she do silent magic without her wand? Then, she heard voices up above her.

"All right Potter, sit here and I'll get you something for your arm," the impostor Moody was saying and Alex heard the scraping of a chair being pulled across the floor.

"Thank you, sir," said Harry, sounding scared and confused.

"What was it like?" the other Moody said with a little too much eagerness, "Seeing him in front of you?"

"Who, Voldemort? I don't know…terrifying. I never thought I'd ever see him other than a mist figure. Seeing him as that was enough to scare me, but now…"

Harry drifted off and Alex knew he was probably re-living the sight of Voldemort rising out of the cauldron. The thought of that made her shudder violently. There were footsteps moving around and Alex heard glass lids opening and closing. The footsteps seemed to get more hurried as they traveled.

"Were there others in the graveyard with you?"

"Yeah, they were and…Professor? I don't think I ever mentioned a graveyard. How did you know?"

Silence. Alex was holding her breath, waiting for an answer. Then the Moody above her spoke and Alex felt anything but reassured.

"I knew some would go crawling back to him, asking for forgiveness," he said calmly, "He'll say he forgives them, but he will have his revenge on all who weren't loyal to him throughout his absence. And he will give me the highest honor. I will be his most loyal servant, because I fulfilled his wishes. I will give him the girl…and you."

"What? But…where's Alex? Where are you keeping her?"

"Don't worry, Potter. You'll be joining her soon enough. In life and in death, you will go through it together."

A door banged open and Alex heard spells shouted. There was scuffling and a thud.

"Severus, check the trunk," she heard Dumbledore say, as though he was struggling to hold someone down.

There was a jingling of keys and the sounds of lids opening right above their heads. Finally, a bright light illuminated the room. Squinting, Alex saw Snape looking down at her grimly.

"They're here, Headmaster," he said over his shoulder.

Alex saw Professor Dumbledore come into view and he smiled, looking relieved.

"All right down there, Alastor?"

"I've been in worse situations before!" Moody called up.

"Alex, are you all right too?"

"Yes sir!" she said.

A ladder was produced and the two climbed out of the trunk. Once Alex was out, she ran to Harry and embraced him.

"Thank Merlin! I thought he'd gotten to you already!" said Harry with relief evident in his tone.

"Harry, I tried to help, I really did, but there was no way I could. Everything just went right through me! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" she said as she began sobbing on his shoulder. Finally, she controlled herself and looked down at Harry's arm where a cut was still bleeding a little.

She then turned and saw Dumbledore force feeding a clear potion down a man's throat. She saw a wooden leg and the blue eye on the floor and assumed it was the man impersonating Professor Moody.

"Who are you?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

"Barty Crouch…Junior," the man said as though he were struggling not to speak but couldn't help it.

"Why were you using the Polyjuice Potion to pose as Professor Moody?"

"I wanted to get to them!" he shrieked, pointing at Harry and Alex, "So that the Dark Lord's return could be complete, and it worked!" He began laughing evilly but stopped and seemed to pass out.

"Minerva, please take Harry, Alex, and Professor Moody to the Hospital Wing," Dumbledore said quietly.

"No, we're fine sir," said Harry earnestly, "Please, I want to know what's going on!"

"Very well," said Dumbledore, looking older than Alex had ever seen him, "But first go see Madame Pomfrey about your arm. Then, if you Minerva would be so kind, please take Harry and Alex to my office. I will be there after I send some owls."

McGonagall led the three wounded to Madame Pomfrey, who took care of them in an instant. Alex, who still had tears streaming down her face, turned to Harry's bed as she remembered something she needed to ask him.

"Harry, Cedric's body…is it…you know…with his parents?"

"Yeah, when the Cup took us back, he came with us too." said Harry tightly, as though his throat had closed up.

Professor McGonagall came back a half an hour later and told them Professor Dumbledore was ready to see them. The two Gryffindors followed their Head of House up to the Headmaster's office and entered. Professor Dumbledore sat at his desk and beckoned the two Gryffindors inside, closing the door with a flick of his wrist. Another flick conjured two comfy armchairs that he gestured for them to sit in. Alex did so and became very interested in her fingers as she waiting for someone to speak and break the silence.

"Why don't you two try and tell me what happened?" asked Dumbledore gently.

"Cedric and I had gotten to the Cup at the same time," started Harry, "Well, I saw it first but Cedric physically got there before me. I told him to take it since he was the true champion anyway but he...he insisted we take it together. The glory was going to Hogwarts either way so why not share it together? But the Cup was a portkey and it took us to a graveyard, not the outside of the maze." He stopped, looking down and Alex saw his eyes were wet.

"I came along with them," Alex continued, "During the second task, I found out that I could travel with Harry as he went through the task. I don't know how I do it. I just close my eyes and I'm there with him. I figured that since I couldn't touch anything without it going through me, it wasn't considered cheating. So I went through the maze with Harry and when the portkey sent them to the graveyard, I went with them. Wormtail was there and he had this bundle in his arms. It told him to kill Cedric and he…he did." She paused for a moment and continued, "Wormtail placed the bundle in a cauldron and tied Harry to a gravestone. He started doing this ritual, using a bone, some of Harry's blood, this cloth that was soaked in my blood, and his hand. He chopped his hand off." Alex stopped as she put a hand to her mouth and shuddered violently as she remembered the horrible scene.

"Then, Voldemort came out of the cauldron and he had a body, his own this time," Harry continued. "He called his Death Eaters and said he could see Alex, but she wasn't really there."

Dumbledore nodded, seeming to understand. Alex had no idea how he could understand what happened. She hadn't a clue why she could be there but not be able to help.

"He started talking about the night he came to our house," said Harry, "He said that the reason Alex could be there in spirit was the connection we have. He also said that he could never touch us because of our mother's love. But now that he has our blood, he can do that now."

"Then he challenged Harry to a duel," said Alex, "And their wands connected. These ghosts came out of Voldemort's wand. First Cedric, then an old man, then a woman, and Harry's parents were there too. I saw my grandparents, David Ratcliff, and my...m-my mum." Alex let out a shuddering breath and choked back tears as Harry placed a comforting hand on her arm. She gave him a watery smile before continuing, "Mr. Potter told me to be near Harry when he broke the connection. Harry did it, grabbed Cedric's arm, and summoned the Cup. I then found myself in a dark room, which I now realize was the trunk, and I saw myself sitting against the wall. When I went to touch my arm, I seemed to go back into my body. The rest you pretty much know."

Dumbledore nodded and rose to his feet, pacing the room in thought. Alex wiped her eyes on her sleeve and waited as the silence stretched on. Finally, it seemed Harry was tired of waiting because he cleared his throat.

"Sir? Please, what is going on with Alex and me?" he asked nervously, "Why can she leave her body and come with me? Why could I hear her in my thoughts while I was in danger?"

"You could actually hear me?" Alex gasped, looking over in shock.

"Yeah, it was as if you were in my mind," said Harry, "During the second task, it was more of a nagging inclination and it was the same way for the third task. But in the graveyard, I could hear you telling me to be a Gryffindor and fight Voldemort face-to-face."

Both Gryffindors turned to their Headmaster, who was looking at them with a sad smile. He returned to his seat and placed the tips of his fingers together as he observed them down his crooked nose.

"The night Voldemort came to Godric's Hollow, his plan was to kill Harry first and then Alex," the Headmaster explained softly, "From what I can gather, the spell hit Harry and it bounced off Alex before hitting Voldemort, destroying his physical body. As the spell passed between the two of you, it created a connection."

"How could it do that?" Alex whispered, eyes wide.

"I'm not entirely sure," replied Dumbledore sadly, "There are many things about that night that even I do not understand. But however it was done, a connection was made. Now you two can read each other's thoughts and emotions. You know when the other is in danger and will travel there to be with them, even if it is only so you can advise them without getting hurt yourself. But this connection is not only between the two of you; Voldemort also shares in that connection. You two know that your scars burn when Voldemort is near? The reason is because of that night and I fear that now that he has a body and shares your blood, this connection will be much stronger."

"How did Voldemort get Alex's blood?" Harry asked angrily, "It's not like Crouch could have come up, cut her arm, and taken a sample. How did we not notice someone taking her blood?"

Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a moment before asking, "Alex, what happened the night before the second task that made it impossible for you to be, pardon my phrasing, Harry's "object"?"

"It's fine, sir," said Alex as she thought back to that day, "Professor Moody...well, Crouch Junior actually, told me that gillyweed could help Harry stay underwater for an hour. I ran to the library to tell Harry but Professor Snape found me first. He thought I was skipping his lesson so he dragged me away and down to the dungeon. As we were dueling, there was an accident and I cut my arm badly. He dismissed me so I wrapped my arm up and I made my way up to the Hospital Wing. Along the way..."

She trailed off as her eyes went wide. It was "Moody" who had found her in the corridor. He had helped her to the Hospital Wing and had been with Madame Pomfrey as she had fallen asleep. The bloody rag...it was the rag she had used to help stop her bleeding that night!

"Crouch took my rag while I was asleep in the Hospital Wing! He was right there, he helped me get there!" cried Alex, "Remember what Wormtail said? "The blood of the other unknowingly given!" I didn't know I had given my blood to Crouch because I hadn't been awake."

Silence fell once more as everyone took in this new discovery. As Harry stretched out his leg, he let out a gasp of pain and clutched it. Dumbledore's bright blue eyes shot up and he came out of his musings.

"You two are not completely healed yet and I have kept you here far too long. Poppy must be worried sick about you. If you have no other questions, I think it is time for you to return to the Hospital Wing and finish your treatments."

Harry nodded and stood up, looking at Alex to see if she was ready too. She shook her head and didn't get up. He seemed to understand without her saying and went to the door.

"Harry?" called Dumbledore. The young man turned as the older man continued, "I shall wish to talk to you when you are fully recovered. I have one more thing to discuss with you." He paused for a moment and added, "I'm sorry you had to suffer this fate, I truly am."

"It's okay, sir," Harry said with a shrug, "There was nothing you could do. Alex, I'll be right outside, okay?"

She nodded and he left quietly. Dumbledore waited patiently for her to speak and finally, she let out a breath and spoke.

"When I woke up after I touched my body, I realized I didn't have my wand," said Alex in an almost-whisper, "I didn't hesitate or think, I just held out my hand and flames appeared. I didn't even say the spell! Professor, I know that's advanced magic so how is it that I'm fourteen-years-old and able to do that?"

"Indeed, you have always been advanced in your magical skills," Dumbledore said, thinking hard, "However, based on your situation, it is not as strange as you would think. Many times, it is in a moment of extreme stress or panic that our magic advances and rises to the occasion. You were frightened, didn't have your wand, and knew that silence was key. Therefore, you reacted based on your deep magical instincts. I know of many witches and wizards who performed great feats of magic while under stressful situations. One such wizard was drowning and managed to cause all the water in a certain lake to rise up and wash away a whole town."

"Does that mean that I have the potential to do wandless and non-verbal magic?" she asked in awe.

"My dear girl, I believe that you have the potential to be the greatest witch this world has ever seen," the Headmaster replied, eyes shining with pride, "I have never seen a student of your age have such raw power as well as such control. With the proper training, you could do anything. Just promise me that you will not let this go to your head."

Alex let out a chuckle as Dumbledore smiled. "Don't worry, sir," said Alex, "I have three great friends to keep my head from flying away on me."

"I know you do. Now, I am sure Harry is eagerly awaiting for you outside the office. Best not to keep him waiting," he said as he rose to his feet, Alex following suit. "Please tell Poppy that I will be along in a minute."

She nodded and left, finding Harry standing outside the door. He managed a tiny smile as they went down the stairs and down the corridor. Luckily the castle was empty, as all the students were forced to stay in their common rooms until further notice. Once in the Hospital Wing, Madame Pomfrey fussed over them and forced the two of them into beds while placing vials of potions in front of them.

"Must we drink _all_ of them?" Alex asked in shock.

"Yes, Miss Ratcliff," the matron said with a roll of her eyes, "Unless you want your injuries to go unhealed?"

Just then, McGonagall entered the sick ward with a group of people. Ron and Hermione were right behind their Head of House and they sprinted to their friends' side. Hermione went to Alex first and almost tackled her friend as she sobbed.

"Oh Alex! We didn't know what happened to you! You went all stiff and didn't talk back to us. And then we thought you were safe with Professor Moody but then he turned out to be a Death Eater in disguise. We felt so guilty! One of us should've gone with you!"

"Hermione, it's fine. I'm alive and in perfect health. Well," she added, eyeing the vials with disgust, "Maybe not _perfect_ health, but I'm alive and well."

Hermione seemed satisfied that Alex was all right before going to Harry and embracing him. Ron sat at the end of her bed at first but then Alex grabbed his arm and pulled him into an embrace.

"Thank Merlin you two are all right," the redhead whispered and Alex nodded into his shoulder, a lump growing in her throat.

Looking up, Alex saw Ginny, Fred, and George were also waiting to see the two fourth years. Behind them were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley as well as her Uncle Monty. Alex looked at her guardian and felt hot tears prick her eyes. In a flash, he was beside her and holding her in his arms.

"Oh Alex," he whispered, patting her back soothingly, "Can't you ever have a quiet, calm, normal year at this school?"

"Now what fun would that be?" Alex asked, wiping her eyes as she smiled slightly. Her guardian chuckled as he kissed the top of her head and made room for the others. Both twins pecked her on a cheek at the same time while Ginny hugged her tight and refused to let go. Mrs. Weasley shook her head as she moped her eyes while Mr. Weasley nodded to Alex and threw her a small smile.

"You all do realize that we're alive, right?" said Alex in a joking manner, "This isn't our funeral, you can stop crying now."

"Honestly Alex," Mrs. Weasley said but she was laughing with the others too.

Alex looked at Harry, who was sharing space with Ron and the twins, and he rolled his eyes playfully at her. She shrugged as she threw her arms around Hermione and Ginny, her two best girlfriends and the two best friends a girl could ask for.

Just as Madame Pomfrey came over, most likely to kick everyone out, the door burst open and Dumbledore came in with a large black mutt at his heels. Uncle Monty's eyes widened while Harry and Alex looked at each other, both with looks of shock. Hermione's grip on Alex tightened slightly and Ron looked ready to puke. It was Sirius; Alex knew that dog form anywhere.

"Poppy, I hope you don't mind another visitor for our patients," he said with a twinkle in his eye, "He has been dying to see them for some time." The matron could only groan, although smiling slightly, before nodding.

"Professor Dumbledore," said Alex, her voice high from nerves, "Please sir, are you sure this is a good idea?"

"I am, Alex. Do you not trust these people?"

Alex looked around once more. The Weasleys were practically her family anyway. She turned to Harry and saw his hesitation. But as he looked around, he sighed and nodded to her, letting her know that it was her decision and he was fine either way.

"I...I do, sir. But before we do this," she said quickly, "Please just promise not to freak out too much. And don't hate me."

Everyone nodded, although those who knew the truth did so to assure her that they didn't hate her in the slightest. With a shaky sigh, Alex looked at Orion and managed a smile.

"Okay Dad, show them what you can do."

The dog let out a happy bark and in a matter of seconds, the dog vanished. In its place was Sirius Black, standing there with eyes only on his daughter and godson. There was a moment of silence before Mrs. Weasley let out a scream of terror. Mr. Weasley took a step back while the twins looked like identical cod fish, their mouths hanging open. Ginny seemed to be hyperventilating and Uncle Monty quickly went to her side, calming her down.

"It's...It's..." stuttered Mrs. Weasley.

"Mum, we know! It's Sirius Black," said Ron impatiently, "Let them explain before you freak out."

"You see," Alex said slowly, "My mum didn't marry David Ratcliff like everyone thought she did. She married Sirius Black and only pretended to marry David. My name's not Alex Ratcliff, it's Alex Black. Sirius didn't kill anyone, he was set up by Peter Pettigrew. He isn't a murderer...he's my father."

Everyone was silent as they tried to take it all in. Dumbledore then asked for all the Weasleys, besides Ron, to come with him and he led them to the other side of the Hospital Wing to explain everything to them. When they were gone, Sirius pulled up a chair between his daughter and godson.

"Dumbledore filled me in on everything already," he said in a voice full of sorrow, "I'm so sorry that this happened. I wish I could've done something."

"It's not your fault, Sirius," said Harry with surprise, "What could you have done to stop this?"

"Harry's right, Dad. You couldn't have done anything. And besides," she said in a softer tone, "Mum said for me to tell you to keep up the good work. Sh-She's proud of us, you know."

Sirius' face went stiff and he looked away, twisting his face to try and hide the pain. Alex reached out and held her father's hand. He gave her a small watery smile and drew her close with one arm and Harry with the other. She wanted to stay there forever when the Hospital Wing door and Snape entered.

Sirius rose to his feet angrily, causing Alex and Harry to almost fall out of their beds.

"What is _he_ doing here?" Alex's father asked furiously, standing protectively in front of Alex and Harry.

"I'd like to ask you the same question, Black," Snape sneered, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"I brought both of you here for a reason," said Dumbledore sternly, moving away from the Weasleys and between the two men, "I need you both to put aside your school grudges and help me. Voldemort has returned and he preys on those with grudges against others. To protect you both, I implore you to forgive each other or at least be civil towards the other. We need both of you on the same side for this war and the only way we can stay strong is if we trust each other."

Snape and Sirius were looking at each other with such hatred that Alex thought they were going to start dueling instead of shake hands. However, they shook hands quickly and Alex saw, unable to hide a smile, that her father wiped his hand on his robes as he walked back to Harry and her.

"Now then, I have the assurances of all these fine people behind me," said Dumbledore to Harry and Alex as he nodded to the Weasleys, "That they do not hate you two in the slightest. I believe all of this will take some getting used to so I shall leave to give you time."

With a nod and a smile, Dumbledore left the room with Snape and McGonagall. Although extremely awkward at first, the group finally started talking together. Mrs. Weasley was still a bit hesitant of Sirius but after talking for some time, she finally seemed to warm up to him. The happiness couldn't last though. Eventually Madame Pomfrey shooed everyone out of the room so that her patients could rest. Fred, George, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione all promised to visit as soon as they were allowed to. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley wished them both a swift recovery while Uncle Monty said he would see them on the platform.

When McGonagall came back to escort Sirius out of the castle, Alex sat up and hugged her father tightly. Harry shook his godfather's hand and Sirius clapped him on the shoulder.

"Stay safe, you two," he said hoarsely.

"I could the same about you," said Alex with a half smile.

They watched as their final guest left the wing and silence fell again between them. After a moment, Alex decided to ask the question that had plagued her mind since she had left Dumbledore's office.

"Harry?" Alex asked Harry and he looked at her, "Everything's going to change now, isn't it?"

"Yeah," said Harry, sighing and running his hand through his already messy hair, "But don't forget, we're in this together. We'll get through it, we always do."

Alex nodded and knew it was true. It had to be.

_Author's Note: Wow, this is a lot longer than I planned it to be. I added a ton of stuff to this so hopefully you liked it. Since the chapter is so long, I'll keep this A/N short 'n sweet! :) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review! Thank you for making me a happy author! :D_


	27. Chapter 25 The Start of Change

_Author's Note: Yes everyone, this is the FINAL chapter of this story! For the last time (for this story anyway), I only own Alex and the plot points you don't recognize. Enjoy everyone!_

Chapter 25 The Start of Change

Alex and Harry were in the Hospital Wing for a grand total of two days. Just like they promised, Ron and Hermione were there everyday for the entire day. Classes had been cancelled in order to give the castle time to grieve for Cedric's death. The twins and Ginny came and went often, staying for a while but giving the four time to be together. They never talked about the graveyard or what Harry and Alex had seen. Instead, they talked about lighter things as they reflected back on their last four years at Hogwarts and thought about the fun times they had shared. Alex was grateful that her friends didn't press her or Harry about what they saw. It was painful enough to have the memories but she wasn't sure if she could re-live them again.

There was one person that Alex was really looking forward to seeing: Draco. She hadn't seen him since before the final task and she missed his company greatly. He was the only person that she wouldn't have minded reliving the horrible memories with. Alex knew that he would listen to her without interruption and offer comfort and advice when she finished.

But he never came to see her; he didn't even walk by the sick ward or make up some excuse to see Madame Pomfrey so he could see how she was doing. To say that Alex was a little disappointed was an understatement. If he had been in the Hospital Wing, Alex would have made it a point to at least pass by and see if he was doing all right. She missed him, plain and simple. Draco was one of her best friends and she wanted to see him just as much as she wanted to see the others who visited her in the Hospital Wing. Why hadn't he at least tried to check up on her? Did he not care? This thought bothered Alex a lot more than she thought it would.

The day that Alex and Harry were released was the day that Alex had to go before the Heads of Houses and explain what Nick had done to her. The other two witnesses, Vanessa and her date, had gone while Alex was in the Hospital Wing so she was the last one who needed to speak. Harry offered to come with her for moral support but she denied the offer, saying it was something she needed to do it alone. So it was with a heavy heart and shaking limbs that Alex went up to Dumbledore's office and sat before Professors McGonagall, Sprout, Flitwick, Snape, and Dumbledore. She told them everything about that night, from the abuse against Vanessa to her being forced away from the dance and almost into a closet. By the time she finished, McGonagall's mouth became a thin line and her lips were white with anger. Sprout looked like she had witnessed the murder of a puppy and Flitwick looked almost tearful. The only one that didn't look unaffected was Snape, but Alex figured as much. It wasn't until one of Flitwick's questions that the Potions Master showed emotion.

"Miss Ratcliff, you said that someone heard what happened and managed to get the accused off and away from you, correct?" Alex nodded and the little Charms teacher continued by saying, "Did you know who this person was? A friend perhaps who was worried about where you had gone?"

"I...uh..." Alex shifted nervously. She didn't want to drag Draco into this and have the Heads of Houses know of her friendship with him. Plus if Snape knew, he'd tell Draco's father and all hell would break loose. She could feel all eyes on her so she looked up and said, "It was kind of dark, sir. I couldn't see their face, but it was a male who helped me. That I could tell because of their build. Whoever it was though, I thank them with my whole heart."

Alex's eyes met Snape's and he looked suspicious. She held his gaze until Dumbledore said she could leave. Alex nodded and went to the door. Just before she left, however, she turned back around.

"Professor Dumbledore," she said nervously, "Did I give you enough to kick Nick out of the school?"

The Headmaster didn't answer aloud but his look told Alex all she needed to know. She wouldn't have to worry about that certain Ravenclaw anymore. Alex nodded and left without another word, heading straight to the Entrance Hall. She needed to take a walk in the fresh air so she turned the knob on her locket to the right and walked the corridors under the cover of invisibility. Alex didn't want anyone stopping to talk to her along the way. Once she reached the grounds, she became visible again and began walking. The sun had just begun to set, turning the sky from bright azure to a crimson red and deep orange.

She went to the lake and closed her eyes, searching for the giant squid. Either he was too deep or she wasn't trying hard enough, but either way she couldn't find him. Sighing, she went under a nearby tree and sat on the ground, fiddling with her locket as thoughts of Harry's conversation with Dumbledore swirled in her brain.

Dumbledore wanted to talk with Harry about the duel with Voldemort. As Harry told her, Ron, and Hermione later when he returned, Dumbledore believed that it would have been impossible for Voldemort to kill Harry that night.

"It has to do with our wand cores," explained Harry as they sat in their normal spot by the fireplace, "Olivander told me when I bought my wand that the same phoenix provided the feather core in both our wands. Because of that, one wand refuses to destroy the other's owner."

"So when you cast the spells at each other..." Hermione started, her voice drifting off.

"That's why the jets of light connected," said Ron, wide-eyed, "The spells repelled each other!"

"Hold that thought!" Alex cried, running up to her dormitory and coming down soon with a thick, leather-bound book in her arms. She flipped through the pages with lightning-fast speed until she found what she was looking for.

"Isn't that my book?" asked Hermione, flipping the front cover up so she could read the title.

"Yeah, I borrowed it for some light reading," Alex said, waving her hand distractedly, "The point is-"

"_Light reading?_ Bloody hell, Alex, you've been around Hermione too long!" Ron said, eyeing the book with raised eyebrows, "Look at the size of that thing!"

"You and Harry share Quidditch magazines, Hermione and I share library books. Pardon me for being a nerd. But this isn't why I brought the book down!" she said irritably, "Harry's explanation sounded familiar and I read about it in this book. It's called-"

"Priori Incantatem," finished Harry, "Dumbledore told me."

Alex looked up from her book, gave him a glare, and muttered, "You stole my thunder." There was a pause and they all burst out laughing.

Someone touched her arm, wrenching Alex from her memories. She leapt to her feet in a flash, pulling her wand out and pointing it at them. It was Draco.

"Merlin Draco," she said, putting her wand away and sitting back down, "You're lucky I didn't hex you senseless. You scared me!"

"Yeah, I gathered that," he said, looking at her curiously, "When did you get out of the Hospital Wing?"

"A couple hours ago," replied Alex bitterly, lowering her gaze so that a curtain of hair hid the hurt expression on her face. However, it seemed Draco could tell that she was upset with him. He sighed as he sat down beside her.

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't come to visit you," he said softly, "It's not that I didn't care, I actually was worried sick about you. It's just...you were surrounded by all of your real friends and I didn't want to make it awkward for you."

"My _real_ friends?" Alex said, laughing without mirth, "So what? You're not my real friend? What are you then, Malfoy?" She didn't even wait for him to answer before she continued, "I kept hoping that you would at least walk by the bloody sick ward, but no. Do you have any idea how much I missed you? I had Ron, Hermione, and Harry; my closest friends. The only close friend I was missing was you! And then I had to go through that damn trial after I left the Hospital Wing all by myself. Harry offered to come with me, but I told him not to. As great as he is, all I wanted was for you to be with me! You were with me through the entire process except for this, when I really needed you!"

Alex pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, placing her head on her knee caps as she bit her lip hard. She wouldn't cry; she'd done enough of that already. Alex felt Draco place a hand on her shoulder and she looked up, eyes widening at the sight of her friend. He looked like someone had kicked him in the stomach and the sorrow in his eyes was intense.

"I'm sorry, Alex," he whispered, "I'm so sorry."

Alex looked at him for a moment before wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him tight. She felt one hand wrap around her shoulders while the other hand went to her head, holding her close to him. Alex sighed with content; this was what she missed while she had been in the Hospital Wing. Finally, Draco pulled away and they sat side-by-side, looking out at the lake while Draco's arm draped over her shoulder lightly.

"You know," he spoke after a long pause, "I was with Weasley and Granger when Professor Moody took you to his office. What happened to you afterwards anyway? How did you end up in the Hospital Wing in the first place?"

Alex's hand went to her neck as she continued fiddling with her locket, trying to make up her mind about telling him what she saw. His father had been there and had even wanted to know how Voldemort was going to deal with her. Even if he didn't like his father's views, Draco wouldn't be pleased with her knowing that his father was a Death Eater.

"Hey, if you don't want to tell me, that's fine," Draco said gently, removing his arm from her shoulder and placing a hand on her arm, "I understand."

"No, it's that…what I mean is…he's back," she managed to whisper out, throwing caution to the wind.

"Who's back?"

"Voldemort," said Alex without a tremble or stutter that most people had when they said his real name, "I saw him, I was there. Wormtail, Peter Pettigrew, was there. He's alive and he brought his master back. Voldemort has a body and everything, he can hold a wand, and…and he can touch us now. He couldn't before because of our mother's sacrifice, but now he can."

Tears filled her eyes as everything spilled out. So much for not crying anymore. Alex found herself blurting out everything she had seen, the horrible helplessness she had felt, even seeing her mother again. She told him about how the real Professor Moody had been in a trunk for the last year and the Moody they knew had been one of Voldemort's spies. Hell, she even told him about the connection she had with Harry as everything she had held back came tumbling out. When she finished, Draco turned towards the lake and didn't speak for a while.

"I'm sorry, Alex," he said softly, "I wish...I wish I could've done something to help you. Maybe if I hadn't gotten Dumbledore..." He trailed off and Alex didn't speak, letting him think in the silence. Finally, he spoke again but the subject had been changed.

"You saw my dad too, didn't you? In the graveyard with the others? It's all right," he added as Alex was about to talk, "I know he was there, he would be the one to go as soon as You-Know-Who came back. I'm not proud of it and I can understand if you hate me for it."

"Hate you? Why would I hate _you_?" Alex asked, wiping her eyes, "You can't help what your father does. No, the only person I hate right now is Voldemort."

"You're really brave you know, for saying his name," said Draco and chuckled, "Or you're really stupid, which I know you're not."

"Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself," Alex said with a smile, "That's what Hermione says anyway. Besides, what's to fear in a name?"

Draco looked like he was about to answer, but stopped. He got to his feet, helped Alex up, and the two went back to the castle as the last rays of the sun went below the horizon.

...

There was a memorial for Cedric Diggory in the Great Hall the next evening. There was not a dry eye in the room as Dumbledore gave a wonderful speech. He concluded by telling the students of Voldemort's return and those wet eyes looked either fearfully or skeptically at the old man. Alex didn't think that a memorial was the best time to talk about the rise of a dark wizard and impending doom but, then again, when was there a good time? Mr. and Mrs. Diggory insisted on giving Harry the prize money, who insisted Fred and George keep it.

"I'm not going to use it," Alex heard Harry say to them quietly in the common room one evening, "Use it to fund that joke shop you want to start, or maybe to buy Ron some new dress robes."

The twins thanked Harry, who just waved them off. He returned to his friends, who were sitting by the fire away from the others. Alex was reading her mother's diary while Hermione and Ron were playing Exploding Snap. The mood was surprisingly good. As Harry sat down, Alex looked up, darted her eyes to the twins, and threw him a good-natured wink. He smiled back, knowing that he had her support in his decision.

"Have you all gotten your clothes together?" Hermione asked as she won for the second time in a row, much to Ron's chagrin.

"Not all of it," said Alex, looking up from her book and seeing the boys shaking their heads.

Alex sighed and was about to continue reading when she saw some sixth years watching them. However, as soon as they saw her looking, they looked away and began whispering to each other.

"What's up with them?" she asked to Hermione.

"Well, um…" said Hermione slowly, as if she was regretting saying anything, "People seem to think that Dumbledore was lying…that Voldemort's not back."

"WHAT?" said Alex and Harry together.

"Why won't they believe us?" Harry asked, shaking with anger, "We were there, they weren't. They didn't have to see him return!"

"I'll persuade them," growled Alex, standing up and rolling up her sleeves, but Hermione pulled her back.

"Alex, Harry, does it really matter what a few people think?" said Ron nervously, "We believe you, doesn't that count? And our families will believe you too."

"Well, mine won't because I won't tell them anything," Hermione added in an attempt to make her friends' mood lighten, "But Ron's family will definitely believe you."

Alex and Harry were still angry as they went to bed that night. Yet, even though Alex was furious, she still managed to go to sleep for her last night at Hogwarts of her fourth year. Before going to bed, she took a Sleeping Draught that Madame Pomfrey gave to her and Harry to help them sleep without dreams. Without the draught, Alex had to go through the horror of the graveyard in her dreams. She at least wanted to get a good night's sleep on her last night in the castle.

…

The next morning, as Alex, Hermione, Ron, and Harry found a compartment on the Hogwarts Express, Alex saw people whispering as they passed. Finally, when a group of fifth years passed, Alex heard what they were saying and snapped.

"Look, there's Potter and Ratcliff," one boy sneered in what he thought was a quite tone.

"Yeah, I've heard that they've got a one way ticket to St. Mungos…in the insane ward," a girl replied.

"For the love of Merlin!" Alex shouted and threw down her bags, pulling out her wand, "Do you actually think we're deaf?"

"Alex…" said Hermione but Alex continued.

"No Hermione, I'm tired of putting up with this shit! Why would we lie about Voldemort coming back? What's wrong, can't stand to hear his name? Well, you'll be hearing it a lot soon enough so get used to it!"

Sparks flew out from the end of her wand and this coupled with the fire in her eyes caused the boy and girl to leap back in alarm and sprint away as fast as they could. Panting, she put her wand away and went to find a compartment with her friends in silence. Once they found an empty one, she put her stuff away and put her face in her hands.

"They have no idea," she said through her hands, "They really don't understand what we went through. If they did, they wouldn't be so cruel."

She felt a hand on her shoulder and saw Harry standing over her. She let out a sigh and leaned back in her seat. Soon, Fred, George, and Ginny joined them and Alex's happy demeanor returned. While they all played Exploding Snap, Alex sketched them. When the train came to a stop, she showed them her creation after a little bit of persuading. Fred and George loved it so much they copied it with magic so they and everyone else could keep a copy.

Alex got off the train and looked for a cart for her trunk and owl cage. She finally found one, the last one there against the wall, and went to grab it. However, someone practically knocked her to the ground and took it. She regained her balance and turned angrily, finding herself looking straight at Mr. Malfoy.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said without sincerity, "Did you want one too?" He looked around for a few seconds and said, "Shame, there's no more left."

"A polite man would have said "Ladies first", but then again, you're not a polite _man_, are you?" she said with raised eyebrows as she eyed his long white-blonde locks.

Mr. Malfoy was about to reply, with fire in his eyes that made Alex almost regret being rude to him, when Draco came over and saw the tension in the air.

"Father," he said, "Let the girl have the cart. She's too weak to carry her own stuff."

Mr. Malfoy looked at his son with a frown but seeing his son with a look of disgust as he looked at Alex, he agreed and left. Draco gave Alex a wink with a smile and followed his father. Alex shook her head and began trying to lift her large, heavy trunk onto her cart. An extra set of hands helped and, when Alex went to thank the person, she saw it was the girl from the Yule Ball with her date standing behind her. Alex remembered his name was Tommy.

"Thanks," said Alex with a kind smile.

"No, we should be thanking you," Tommy said, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder, Vanessa was her name.

"My brother got kicked out of Hogwarts," Vanessa said, "Dumbledore said it was for his abusive behavior and I just knew it was you who told him so that there was a reason for an evaluation of Nick's behavior. I tried thinking of ways to get him caught because I was too afraid to tell myself, but I guess that's what makes you a Gryffindor and me a Ravenclaw," Alex felt her face redden and the girl continued, "I love my brother, he _is_ family after all, but I'm glad he's gone somewhere where he can't hurt me. So, thank you for everything.

"Oh listen," she added as Alex opened her mouth to show her gratitude, "By the way, if it makes you feel any better, Tommy and I believe what you and Harry say about You-Know-Who returning. We know that anyone who's as brave and self-less as you wouldn't lie about something like that for your own gain, and we trust your judgment in friends."

"Thank you, that really means a lot to me, Vanessa," Alex said with a smile, "Have a great summer you two!"

She pushed her cart towards where her friends were waiting for her.

"Who were they?" Ron asked as Alex came over, looking over her shoulder at the Ravenclaw couple, who had just gone through the barrier.

"Very good friends of mine," she said, "Now let's go already!"

"Yeah, because I was really looking forward to the Dursley's looking at me like I'm a pile of dragon droppings," said Harry sarcastically.

"We'll get together," said Hermione as they went through the barrier and into Muggle London, "And we'll write often, that's a promise."

"You can come to our house!" said Ron enthusiastically, "Don't worry Harry, you won't be with those Muggles for long!"

"And I'll call you too," said Alex, "I'll pretend to be Snape this time, that'll be enough to scare the Dursley's away from you for a while."

They all laughed as they pushed down the platform. Alex saw Uncle Monty and Erin waving as they ran to her. Uncle Monty drew Alex into a tight hug and she smiled, hugging him back. It seemed that her guardian hadn't told Erin what happened that year because her friend gave her a swift hug as she asked all about her classes. Alex decided she wouldn't tell Erin unless her friend's safety depended on it. Why bother her with issues that may not even pertain to her?

Now that Erin knew Alex's friends were magical, she didn't react with complete shock as much when they didn't know what a computer was or how to drive a normal car. Alex was laughing at Fred's reminiscing on the flying car when she saw Draco leaving with his mum and dad. He stopped walking for a moment, checking to make sure his parents thought he was still with them, and dashed over to her. Alex looked to see that no one would miss her and walked a distance away from her friends and family.

"Write to me, all right?" he whispered so only she could hear, "I don't think I'd last the summer without hearing from someone who I can have an intelligent conversation with…or someone who won't curse my lips together if I ask too many questions."

Alex smiled and nodded. Draco looked relieved, returned the smile, and ran after his parents.

"Isn't that the boy who waved to you last year?" Erin asked, who had seen them talking.

"Yeah, he's my friend," said Alex, "I've only just got to know him this year, actually."

"Mmhm," said Erin with a wicked grin and Alex gave her a playful shove, turning red in the face.

"Come along girls," said Uncle Monty, "Be sure to say your good-byes to everyone!"

Alex gave everyone in turn a hug. Mrs. Weasley gave her a kiss on her cheeks and did the same for Erin, who looked surprised but happy nonetheless.

"You _will_ write to me, right?" Harry asked Alex, Hermione, and Ron almost pleadingly.

"Of course!" Alex said, looking highly affronted, and said in a haughty voice, "Just as long as you give Dudley a nice hex for me, will you dear?"

Everyone laughed and waved good-bye. As Alex walked with Erin on one arm and Uncle Monty on the other, she knew that things were going to change. But, with the help of her friends and family, she felt she was ready. Yes, there were scary times ahead, but as long as she had such wonderful people around her, she felt that things would turn out all right when it was all over.

_Author's Note:_

_Dear Readers,_

_And so ends Alex's fourth year of Hogwarts! As you can tell, the stories are starting to get a little darker now. We had our first death and it will certainly not be the last. I can't believe we're moving on to the fifth book already! The fifth book in this series is probably my second favorite of the ones I've written so far. I haven't written the seventh book yet (don't worry, it's all planned out!) and my favorite is the sixth book. Anyway, the next book is going to be a roller-coaster ride full of lots of different emotions. I really think you all are going to love it as much as I do._

_I would like to take this time to thank everyone who reviewed my story. Special thanks to_ Natsuki-chan2912, Are you calling me crazy, Peanut7890, madscientist128, MsPaigeMeadows, AmyakaLuke, x Jen bbe x, ILoveReadingAndWriting, Aileen Autarkeia, _and_ LoneFairytale _for reviewing almost all, if not all, of my chapters. You guys are absolutely amazing and (dare I add this pun in?) magical! I always look forward to hearing from you all and the fact that you take the time to review so often truly means the world to me. I would also like to thank_ Tempest NightMoon, Artemis1922, nine-tails8, Nizuna Fujieda, WisdomEyes, ExotikaHollow1379, dragonzap93, SketchMeExtraCoulorful, azuresilver, MiakaKyle, GinnyWho, c7a7t7, mysterygirl123, ZebraPotter18, 0Goddess Nyx0, Fruityloops87, cocogirl198, krasni, RainbowSkittles123, verypotterfan, Tayla Wayland, TsukiLovesSnape, rockerchic143, CountDoom, _and_ LuciferI _for all of your reviews. Phew, that was a bit of a mouthful, huh? :P Anyway, all of you guys are incredible and I loved every reviews I received from you. I can't even begin to describe how much joy I felt when I'd open my inbox and see reviews from all of you guys. Now if there is someone I forgot, I apologize and please know that I am thanking you as well. I did go through the reviews and tried to get everyone, but I'm only human...sadly. :(_

_I'd also like to especially thank two people for all of their love and support. First, to my friend,_ madscientist128. _I can't tell you how much I appreciate hearing what you think of my story and never mind that your reviews are long. :D I also can't tell you how many times you have brought up points that I never even thought about and I've gone back and cleared things up for the readers. So thank you for helping make this story better for all the other readers! Secondly, to my dear sister,_ missdavinci77. A_lthough you're a tad behind with reading the chapters, I know you'll get here eventually. ;) You continue to be my inspiration for Alex so never stop being your passionate, opinionated, fiercely loyal, occasionally bad-ass self! I love you so much, sweetie and hope that eventually you'll actually get your Harry Potter story up here. Haha! :D_

_So, that's about it I think. What I'm going to do is take a few days off to make sure the first few chapters are all good to go and then do a massive update for all you all. I'm leaving Thursday to go on a short vacation with a friend and won't be back until Monday night. But don't fret! I will be doing the massive update BEFORE I leave. I'm not the cruel...at least, not this time! ;) Again, and I hate to sound like a broken record, thank you all so very much for your support. I can't believe that we're almost at 200 reviews! Let's see if we can break 200, shall we? The review button is very well trained so I'd like to ask you to take this opportunity to make any final comments about the story before you continue on with your lives. It would make me so very happy! :D So, until we meet again,_

_With love,_

_silvermoony77_


	28. The Adventure Continues

The Adventure Continues...

_Dear Readers,_

_So did you miss me? Haha, only gone a few days and I was having serious withdrawal symptoms. Anyway, enough about me. I know you're here because you wanna know about the next book! It is up now and it's called Living for the Moment: Book 5. Very original, I know. :P I posted the prologue (which is SUPER short) and chapter 1. I leave for my mini-vacation later tomorrow so I'm hoping to maybe post another chapter before I leave. If not, it'll be up as soon as I get back on Tuesday._

_Because I'm in a good mood, I'm going to tell you something about the upcoming story. I will be introducing a new OC! It's a girl and her name is Stevie Jackson. She'll be a Gryffindor in Alex's year and she's from America originally. I really like her character and hope you all will as well. You won't get to see her until school starts but I hope you enjoy her._

_Well, what are you waiting for? Go forth and read the newest book! Please don't forget to review and thank you all for keeping up with the story. You won't be sorry, I promise!_

_With love,_

_silvermoony_


	29. UPDATE NOTICE: EDIT IN PROGRESS!

Dear Readers,

Wow, it's been so long that I'm not sure if you even remember me. :/ My absence is quite unpardonable and I truly am sorry for that. College really took me away from writing for a while. However, there is good news: I am working on re-writing this series! I have gotten so many people asking me when I'm going to update again and as I went back to look at this series, the writing made me cringe. Granted, this series was written back when I was in high school so it's okay that my writing was immature because _I_ was immature. However, it's been almost four years since I wrote this story and it's time for an upgrade. The story will remain relatively the same (character pairings, character personalities, major plot lines, etc.) but I am working on making the storyline more realistic. Alex was (as loathe as I am to admit it) a Mary Sue. I am trying to make her a well-rounded character with evident flaws. Also, the pacing in the first few stories was way too quick so I am beefing things up. That means more chapters for you guys! :) Thank you to everyone who sent me PMs asking when I would update the story. It was because of your badgering that I went back to look at the stories and decided to make this huge edit. The first chapter for the new first book will be up very soon so please go take a look! Enjoy!

Sincerely,

silvermoony77


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